CABINET OFFICE

Civil Defence

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps are being taken by his Department to ensure that local authorities are working in conjunction with the St. John's Ambulance to prepare local civil defence plans for England and Wales.

Douglas Alexander: The Government welcome the contribution of the voluntary sector in this area and has published clear guidance on the use and training of volunteers and voluntary organisations in chapter 6 of its core guidance document, "Dealing With Disaster" (3rd edition). This sets out the arrangements, which focus primarily on local authority led mechanisms, for the registration, co-ordination and training of volunteers and voluntary organisations, including the St. John's Ambulance. The document, which is held by all local authority emergency planning units, emergency services headquarters and most of the main headquarters of the national voluntary organisations, is a public document and can be obtained from the Government's resilience website: www.ukresilience.info
	The National Voluntary Aid Society Emergency Committee (NVASEC) provides a national United Kingdom-wide forum for addressing voluntary sector matters in respect of national integrated contingency planning. NVASEC membership comprises representatives of the three Voluntary Aid Societies (VAS): the British Red Cross Society (BRCS) (chairing), St. John's Ambulance and St. Andrew's Ambulance. Representatives from the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS), the Department of Health, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence are also invited.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Helen Clark: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the companies selected to replace Equitable Life as providers of the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contributory Scheme; and whether this list will be amended.

Douglas Alexander: The CSAVC Scheme has three providers. Equitable Life and Scottish Widows were appointed when the scheme was set up in 1988. Standard Life Assurance Society was appointed as a further provider from 1 January 2002.
	Equitable Life remains available for CSAVC investment, other than in respect of its with profits fund. This was closed to new members from August 2001 although contributing members could opt to continue their contributions if they wished.
	The suitability of all providers is kept under review.

Labour Market (Ethnic Minorities)

David Willetts: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the Strategy Unit's report into the labour market position of people with minority ethnic backgrounds will be published.

Douglas Alexander: The Strategy Unit's report on the labour market outcomes of ethnic minorities will be published in due course.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many ministerial journeys were made by train in 2002; and of those, how many were (a) first class and (b) standard class.

Douglas Alexander: Since Machinery of Government changes in May 2002, Cabinet Office Ministers have made six first class train journeys in relation to ministerial responsibilities. All travel complies with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many ministerial flights were made by air in 2002; and of those, how many were (a) first class, (b) business class and (c) economy.

Douglas Alexander: Since Machinery of Government changes in May 2002, Cabinet Office Ministers have made two First Class Flights and two Business Class Flights.

Service Delivery Agreement

Tony Wright: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the Central Office of Information's service delivery agreement for 2003 to 2006 will be published.

Douglas Alexander: The Central Office of Information (COI) is currently in the process of revising its Framework Document and preparing its Annual Business Plan. It is anticipated that the COI will announce and publish its revised Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) at the same time as announcing its annual performance targets to Parliament.
	The COI will publish annually agreed external performance targets before summer recess by means of a Written Statement, and report against these in its Annual Report and Accounts. Copies of these are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The current SDA, which was published as part of the Spending Review 2000, is available on-line at the COI's website.

Children at Risk

Alistair Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what action he is taking to ensure that services for adults in difficulty consider the needs of the adult's family as well as the individual needs, through (a) the proposed Children at Risk Green Paper and (b) the National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy;
	(2)  in the proposed Green Paper for Children at Risk, if he will propose a statutory obligation that there be a key worker for any child at complex risk, and that the key worker (a) co-ordinate (i) a multi-professional assessment and (ii) the design of a care package, and (b) ensure that the assessment and care package are (i) delivered and (ii) monitored;
	(3)  if he will ensure that in a new identification, referral and tracking system created by the proposed Green Paper on Children at Risk, the same assessment tool is used for all young people at complex risk.

Paul Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government recognise that professionals working with adults in difficulties need to consider carefully the interests of the children involved. The National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, which is being prepared by the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit for publication this summer, is considering the impact of alcohol misuse upon families.
	The Green Paper on Children at Risk, to be published this spring, is examining the range of services available to children and young people who are at risk of educational failure, offending, victimisation and abuse, and poor health. The Green Paper will look more broadly at how families can be best supported, including considering how the adverse impact on children of parental health issues, such as substance misuse, can be minimised.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Quality (Gloucestershire)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to improve the air quality in Gloucestershire in the areas close to the M5; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact on air quality in Gloucestershire of emissions from the M5; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Local authorities have a statutory duty under the Environment Act 1995 to review and assess the local air quality in their area against the air quality objectives for seven pollutants prescribed in regulations for the purpose of local air quality management. Where it is likely that the air quality objectives will not be met by the relevant deadline, the local authority must designate an air quality management area and produce an action plan setting out the measures they intend to implement to work towards meeting the air quality objectives.
	The M5 passes through four local authority areas. Three of these local authorities (South Gloucestershire, Tewkesbury, and Stroud) have declared air quality management areas in respect of nitrogen dioxide emissions in the vicinity of the M5 motorway. All three local authorities have completed a further review and assessment following the declaration of their air quality management areas to further verify the need for the declarations.
	South Gloucestershire is now consulting on whether to revoke its air quality management area. Stroud and Tewkesbury have justified the need to retain their joint air quality management area. All authorities have been liaising with the Highways Agency; the organisation responsible for the management of the M5. The local authorities will have to draw up an air quality action plan and work with the Highways Agency to look for solutions to improve the local air quality within the area affected by the M5.

Vehicle Emissions

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimates she has made of the total automotive emissions in the UK to the atmosphere in the latest available year for (a) particulates, (b) fine particulates, (c) sulphur dioxide, (d) carbon dioxide, (e) benzene, (f) 1,3-butadiene, (g) carbon monoxide and (h) oxides of nitrogen.

Alun Michael: The most recent year for which published data are available is 2000. In that year the estimates for emissions in kilotonnes from all vehicle types were as follows:
	
		
			  Kilotonnes 
		
		
			 PM10 31.4 
			 PM2.5 25.9 
			 Sulphur dioxide 5.92 
			 Carbon dioxide (as carbon) 31,525 
			 Benzene 7.71 
			 1,3-Butadiene 4.59 
			 Carbon monoxide 2,881 
			 Oxides of nitrogen 629 
		
	
	The figures for particulate matter (PM) cover exhaust and tyre and brake wear emissions and are provided for the two size fractions for which data are available—PM10 (particulates, less than 10 microns diameter) and PM2.5 (fine particulates, less than 2.5 microns diameter).
	These data are taken from the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, published annually by DEFRA, and available on the internet at http://www.naei.org.uk

Arsenic

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what air and land quality standards there are for arsenic under (a) UK and (b) European regulations.

Alun Michael: There are at present no European Commission or UK air and land quality standards for arsenic in regulations. The European Commission is due to publish a proposal for a directive addressing arsenic in ambient air in the near future.

Market Towns Initiative

Ivan Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding was allocated to the Harwich constituency under the Market Towns Initiative in 2001.

Alun Michael: Two towns in the Harwich parliamentary constituency are included in the Market Towns Initiative, namely Harwich and Walton on the Naze. Spending allocations in 2001 were £29,000 and £10,000 respectively, and allocations over the whole programme period were £250,000 and £400,000 respectively.

Suckler Cow Premium

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects all 2002 suckler cow claims to be settled.

Alun Michael: The window for advance payments under the 2002 Suckler Cow Premium Scheme opened on 16 October 2002. Unexpected delays encountered in the development of scheme software mean that despite best efforts, the first payments were issued in December 2002 and progress has been and continues to be slow.
	It is unlikely that the Rural Payments Agency's aim to issue advance payments by early March will be achieved in all cases. We are aware of the inconvenience this will cause and regret the delays. Claim processing continues as a high priority with 1,462 claims authorised to receive payment by 6 February. Some 17,289 claims were received under the 2002 scheme in England. Up to date information on progress is available on the agency's website at www.rpa.gov.uk.
	The window for 2002 bovine subsidy balance payments opens on 1 April and closes on 30 June. New EU legislation which came into effect from the 2002 scheme year introduced significant changes to the way the bovine schemes operate, including the administrative penalties that apply when producers breach scheme requirements. Under these new rules it is not possible to accurately calculate a producer's premium entitlement under each bovine scheme until all bovine claims that they have submitted have been processed and all validation checks completed. However, the RPA continues to make every effort to ensure that producers receive their 2002 bovine balance payments by the 30 June deadline.
	RPA is investing significantly in new software as part of its change programme. This will replace the existing bovine schemes systems with modern, up-to-date technology in 2004–05.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

John Redgrave

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Solicitor General why the Attorney General is represented at the Metropolitan Police internal disciplinary hearing of John Redgrave.

Harriet Harman: The Attorney General is not represented at the disciplinary hearing of Mr. Redgrave. A decision was made by the Disciplinary Board which Mr. Redgrave sought to judicially review. The High Court found against Mr. Redgrave, and he sought leave to appeal that decision. Leave was granted, and in so doing. Lord Justice Sedley noted that there were points of wider public importance relating to the operation of the double jeopardy rule and invited the Attorney General to consider whether he eould like to intervene in the public interest.
	The Attoney General considered that in his role as guardian of the public interest he should ensure all the arguments as to the impact of the High Court's decision were presented at the Court of Appeal hearing.
	On that occasion, the question about double jeopardy was resolved by the Court of Appeal in a manner which did not require the Attorney General's further involvement, and his participation in the case is now concluded.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the (a) total cost and (b) administrative costs of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service in each year from 1980–81 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: Information on ACAS costs, including administration costs, are published in ACAS's Annual Accounts. Information is also available in DTI's and prior to 1995 the Employment Department's expenditure plans. All documents are available in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of expenditure on the (a) Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council and (b) Economic and Social Science Research Council in each year from 1997–98 to 2004–05 (planned); and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The expenditure of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), for the years 1997–98 to 2001–02, and budgeted expenditure for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04, is shown in the table.
	
		£ thousand
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
			  Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Budget Plans Plans 
		
		
			 PPARC 197,869 207,418 186,680 217,439 220,728 246,246 250,770 266,470 
			 ESRC 65,227 67,506 70,872 70,901 74,760 85,199 94,584 104,074 
		
	
	Notes:
	Expenditure 1997–98 to 1999–2000 on a cash basis
	Expenditure for 2000–01 onwards on a full resource accounting and budgeting basis

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of her Department's spending on the Promoting Science, Engineering and Technology for Women unit in each year from 1997–98 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The running cost expenditure for the Office of Science and Technology (OST) unit for Promoting Science, Engineering and Technology for Women, is not recorded separately from the rest of OST. The unit currently consists of four staff. Actual programme expenditure for the years 2000–01 and 2001–02, and budgeted expenditure for the years 2002–03, is shown as follows. Programme expenditure for the years 1997–98 and 1999–2000 was not recorded separately. The budget for 2003–04 is under review in the light of Baroness Greenfield's report "SET FAIR". The Government is considering the report carefully, and will respond in due course.
	
		£,000
		
			 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
			 Actual Actual Budget Plans Plans 
		
		
			 178 197 200 200 200 
		
	
	Note:
	Expenditure for 2000–01 onwards on a full resource accounting and budgeting basis.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of the Diversity Week held by her Department in June 2001.

Patricia Hewitt: The cost of DTI's Diversity Week 2001 run for all departmental staff was £34,341.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons expenditure on ACAS has changed from 1996–97 to 2003–04; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: ACAS's expenditure increased across the period to support increased levels of information and advice on employment relations to employers and employees and to meet individual conciliation costs associated with rising Employment Tribunal case loads.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of her Department's Innovation Expenditure in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department is drawing up its plans and budgets for 2003–04 and 2004–05 in the light of the 2002 spending review. Information on the Department's planned expenditure for those years will be contained in its annual expenditure plans report for 2003–04 to 2005–06, which is due to be published in April.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of her Department's spending on consumer protection in each year from 1990–91 to 2003–04 (planned) (a) in cash terms and (b) in real terms using 2000–01 prices; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: These figures are published each year in the DTI Government Expenditure Plans Reports. A table for the years requested is as follows.
	Further information on consumer protection policy and expenditure are available in these Reports, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.DTI's Expenditure on Consumer Protection.
	Figures taken from the DTI Government Expenditure Plans Reports.
	
		
			 Year £ millioncash terms £ million at 2000–01 prices Prices 
		
		
			 1990–91(1) 39.0 29.1 72.956 
			 1991–92(1) 39.0 30.9 77.406 
			 1992–93 22.1 18.1 79.910 
			 1993–94 23,5 19.7 81.886 
			 1994–95 20.0 16.9 82.972 
			 1995–96 21.0 18.3 85.336 
			 1996–97 23.6 21.3 88.042 
			 1997–98 23.9 22.2 90.759 
			 1998–99 26.0 24.8 93.253 
			 1999–2000 27.8 27.2 95.510 
			 2000–01(1) 39.0 39.0 97.689 
			 2001–02 34.0 34.8 100.000 
			 2002–03 38.0 39.8(2) 102.500 
			 2003–04(3) 47.2 50.6(2) 104.806 
		
	
	(1) These years include Investor Protection
	(2) Excludes £10.3 million receipts
	(3) Includes addition funding for White Paper Commitments
	Note:
	Adjusted to 2000–01 prices = £97.689

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list Task Forces which are being overseen by her Department.

Patricia Hewitt: Details of my Department's Task Forces and similar groups are published in "Public Bodies 2002", which is available in the Libraries of the House. This information is expected to updated in "Public Bodies 2003" and will include the following additional groups formed since April 2002.
	Ad hoc groups
	Investment Committee
	Advisory Panel on Management and Leadership
	Sector Analysis Strategy Committee
	Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment Steering Group
	Task Forces
	Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) National Network User Forum

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of her Department's total expenditure on (a) current and (b) capital items in (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department's Expenditure Limits (DEL) for 2004–05 and 2005–06 are laid out in the spending review 2002 as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Resource DEL 5,084 5,564 
			 Capital DEL 167 104 
		
	
	These figures exclude items of annually managed expenditure (AME) such as nuclear and coal health provisions.

Icelandic Water Trawlermen

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation for former Icelandic water trawlermen have been paid; how much has been paid; how many claims have been paid to (a) Grimsby, (b) Hull and (c) Fleetwood trawlermen; how many claims have been rejected; and how many remain to be decided.

Nigel Griffiths: Some 4,638 former Icelandic Water trawlermen have been paid a total of £40.1 million under the scheme. Of these, 794 livid in Grimsby, 1,748 in Hull and 355 in Fleetwood. Discounting duplicates, about 2,900 claims have been assessed as not qualifying for compensation. Currently 168 claims remain subject to review, or to appeal to the Independent Adjudicator, or their assessment has not yet been completed.

Miners' Compensation

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation under the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Scheme are being held up because they have a less than 10 per cent. assessment of disablement.

Brian Wilson: As at 5 February 2003, 192 claims from men with a statutory 10 per cent. disability rating based on the presence of non-disabling pneumoconiosis had been received under the Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Scheme. The Department is considering the implications for the scheme of claims where there is no disability.

Postal Services

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  when she was first informed of the proposals to require member states to levy VAT on all postal services being discussed in the European Commission; and what representations she has made to the Commission in response to the proposal;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact on the Royal Mail of the imposition of VAT on postal services;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the level of VAT on postal services.

Patricia Hewitt: No formal proposals have yet been made to alter the current EC wide VAT exemption for public postal services.

Small Retail Businesses

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 8 January, Official Report, column 248W, on small retail businesses, what the annual UK turnover of small retail business was in the last year for which figures are available.

Nigel Griffiths: Table 1 shows estimated turnover at the start of 2001 in the UK in both all industries and in sector 52 (retail trade except of motor vehicles). It can be seen that SMEs (0–249 employees) account for approximately 51 per cent. of all turnover generated in the UK, but only 33 per cent. of all turnover generated in sector 52. These figures are based on a total business population of approximately 3.75 million businesses, of which all but 7,000 are SMEs.
	
		Table 1: Amount of turnover (£ million) in the private sector and public corporations1 -- UK, number
		
			  All SMEs(5) 
		
		
			 All industries 2,112,013 1,084,565 
			 52 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles 235,306 76,789 
		
	
	(4) UK figures from SME Statistics 2001
	(5) Businesses with less than 250 employees
	Source:
	Small Business Service

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence there is of attacks by remnants of the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan since the end of the recent war; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The al-Qaeda network in Afghanistan was severely weakened by coalition military action. However, remnants of al-Qaeda and Taliban forces continue to pose a limited security threat in some regions of the country, and coalition operations to defeat them continue.

Civilian Ships

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to protect military personnel and cargoes on chartered civilian ships.

Adam Ingram: A number of security measures are in place and include, but are not limited to: the careful routeing of the ships; Naval shipping providing protection, where deemed necessary; embarkation of military protection parties. I am withholding any further information on security measures, under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Civilian Staff (Colchester)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the total civilian staff of the Ministry of Defence in each year since 1980–81.

Lewis Moonie: The requested information is shown in the table:
	
		Total permanent civilian staff(6) in the Ministry of Defence as of 1 April in each year since 1980–81 -- Thousand(7)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			  
			 1980 239.8 
			 1981 229.6 
			 1982 216.9 
			 1983 208.9 
			 1984 199.1 
			 1985 174.1 
			 1986 169.5 
			 1987 164.0 
			 1988 143.4 
			 1989 141.3 
			 1990 141.4 
			 1991 140.2 
			 1992 139.5 
			 1993 129.2 
			 1994 121.6 
			 1995 116.1 
			 1996 109.9 
			 1997 109.2 
			 1998 104.2 
			 1999 100.9 
			 2000 100.3 
			 2001 98.4 
			 2002 89.3 
			 2003 (8)87.8 
		
	
	(6) Figures are for permanent staff and include full-time equivalent values for part timers.
	(7) FTE.
	(8) Figures are taken from 1 April each year except the 2003 data, which is taken from 1 January.

Construction and Refurbishment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the construction and refurbishment projects being undertaken by his Department, (b) the contractors for each project and (c) the projects for which a building research establishment environmental assessment method document has been prepared.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Deepcut Barracks

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of Deepcut Barracks.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Defence gave on 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 2WS. Deepcut Barracks is one of the sites identified by the Defence Training Review rationalisation programme as likely to be surplus to requirements. A final decision on the future of tins site will be made in the light of the consideration of the options currently being sought from industry.

Defence Fire Service

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fully equipped, modern fire engines the Defence Fire Service has at its disposal; and how these appliances are distributed geographically.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has 187 fire fighting vehicles available within the United Kingdom. They are specifically provided for crash rescue cover at both operational military airfields and airfields associated with military airpower capability. In addition a number of military establishments and facilities are provided with domestic fire fighting cover where the resources of the local authority are not sufficient to meet the risk. The total figure includes vehicles that are in the ownership of contractors supplying a service and vehicles that are temporarily unavailable due to maintenance or repairs.

Defence Fire Service

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Defence Fire Service's fully equipped, modern fire engines were available to the Fire Brigade in case of an emergency from (a) 14 January 2003, (b) 21 January 2003 and (c) on 28 January 2003.

Adam Ingram: No Defence Fire Service appliances were made available on the dates in question.
	The overriding responsibility of the Ministry of Defence Fire Services is the protection of MOD vital assets, stores, equipment and facilities. The MOD has entered into agreements with some local fire authorities to provide first attendance fire cover to specific areas or to assist in emergency situations but that does not involve setting aside, over any specified period, any assets for that purpose.

Defence Fire Service

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been given to the Defence Fire Service (a) in the UK and (b) at the MOD Kineton base to assist local fire brigades in emergencies; and whether these instructions have been altered in respect of dates when the fire brigade is on strike.

Adam Ingram: The overriding responsibility of the Ministry of Defence Fire Services is the protection of MOD vital assets, stores, equipment and facilities. There are, however, standard arrangements in place, that allow the provision of assistance in times of emergency when resources are available. Over the years, in certain locations throughout the United Kingdom, the MOD has formalised these arrangements by entering into agreements with local fire authorities to provide first attendance fire cover to specific areas or to assist in emergency situations.
	In relation to MOD Kineton a Memorandum of Understanding exists with Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service. This allows the Chief Fire Officer to call upon the services of Defence Fire Service Kineton in an extreme emergency or incident subject to the normal proviso that the Defence Fire Service may not be able to respond immediately owing to commitments within the Depot.
	It has always been intended that during the fire dispute all MOUs or similar agreements with local fire authorities should remain effective. A decision was made locally at MOD Kineton that, because the armed forces would provide emergency fire cover both inside and outside the depot during strike periods, the depot fire appliances would not at those times respond to requests for assistance outside the perimeter. It has now been recognised that this instruction was unnecessary and consequently MOD Kineton are now able to fulfil the terms of its agreement with the Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service. All other agreements with local fire authorities remain in force and have not been affected by the fire fighters dispute.

Defence Fire Service

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when fully equipped, modern fire engines of the Defence Fire Service based at MOD Kineton have been used alongside Warwickshire Fire Brigade, in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003.

Adam Ingram: In 2002 Defence Fire Service Kineton attended nine incidents at the request of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service. In addition they attended a further five incidents immediately outside of the depot that had been reported directly to them, and where they in turn advised Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service of the situation.
	No such requests have been made to date in 2003 nor has any other form of assistance been provided.

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what buildings his Department owns in Washington DC, USA; what their purpose is; what their value is; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: All 14 properties in Greater Washington DC, USA owned by the Ministry of Defence are houses used to accommodate MOD employees posted to the British Defence Staff at the Embassy in Washington. The total value, as assessed in 1999 was $5,960,000.

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the latest value of his Department's land and building assets on Cyprus; what plans there are to dispose of these assets; what use is being made of them; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The total value of the Ministry of Defence land and building assets on Cyprus is estimated as in excess of £280,366,000, as published in the Departmental Resource Account 2001–02.
	Most of the land and assets owned by Her Majesty's Government on Cyprus form the core of the Sovereign Base Areas (SB As) which are used as military bases, while protecting the interests of those resident or working in the SB As. There is no intention to dispose of any of the assets in the SB As in the foreseeable future.

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the value of the Wellington Barracks in London; which units are using these barracks; what plans there are to sell them; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Wellington Barracks has an Asset Value of some £68 million. However, this does not represent the open market value which might be achieved were the site to be sold. As the site is not wholly owned by the Ministry of Defence, any receipt would have to be shared with the Crown Estate.
	The units currently occupying the Barracks are:
	1st Battalion Scots Guards
	Flank Coy Scots Guards
	Colonel Foot Guards
	RHQ's of the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards
	Staff Bands of the Grenadier, Coldstream and Scots Guards
	Garrison Sgt's Mess
	There are no plans to dispose of Wellington Barracks.

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the value of the Ministry of Defence facilities at Suffield, Canada; what their present purpose is; what plans there are to sell them; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The asset value of the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) is £70 million. BATUS is currently used for Armoured and Mechanised Battle-Group training. The Ministry of Defence is a lodger unit in the Canadian Forces Base, Suffield for the period of our Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Government which expires 2006 and will then be re-negotiated. It is not therefore within the gift of the Ministry of Defence to sell these facilities.

Depleted Uranium

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures have been put in place to protect UK troops in the Gulf from depleted uranium dust.

Lewis Moonie: General health and safety instructions for United Kingdom troops, which cover encounters with depleted uranium (DU), are incorporated in the Mounting Instructions for the operation which have been passed to the units involved. Additional safety instructions, covering all aspects of the hazard management of DU munitions in theatre, will shortly be issued by the Permanent Joint Headquarters through the operational chain of command to all units and formations deployed in the Joint Area of Operations. Furthermore, specific instructions and training packages exist for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Royal Armoured Corps and support personnel most likely to come into contact with DU munitions or dust. Radiation monitoring equipment-has also been provided to some EOD units.
	The safety instructions make clear that the risks from DU are far lower than those from other hazards arising from military operations and that combat and life-saving activities should never be delayed on account of concern over DU. They describe the potential risks and include pragmatic advice on procedures for minimising any potential intake of DU dust. The emphasis is on avoiding situations where DU dust may be encountered and on wearing appropriate respiratory protective equipment and protective clothing when it is necessary to enter potentially contaminated areas. They also include procedures for transporting and handling DU ammunition.
	Radiation dosemeters have been issued to those who will spend time in tanks loaded with DU munitions and biological monitoring will be available for all members of the armed forces if DU is used. This will provide verification of the adequacy of the safety precautions. The biological monitoring policy is published on Ministry of Defence's internet site at: http://www.mod.uk/issues/depleted uranium/du biomonitoring.htm.

Depleted Uranium

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the budgetary provision for expenditure on MOD research into depleted uranium munitions in 2003–04 is; and what percentage of the departmental budget for 2003–04 this represents;
	(2)  what his Department's budgetary provision for expenditure on MOD research into depleted uranium munitions was in 2003–03; and what percentage of the departmental budget this represented.

Lewis Moonie: Budgetary provision for research relating to depleted uranium munitions in the Ministry of Defence's Short Term Plan 2002–03 is £1.68 million in 2002–03 and £2.73 million in 2003–04.
	These figures represent approximately 0.007 per cent. of MOD' s budget for 2002–03 and approximately 0.012 per cent. of MOD's budget for 2003–04.
	These figures are currently being reviewed in the context of MOD's Short Term Plan 2003–04.

Empty Properties (Greater London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many empty MoD properties in the Greater London area and are to be disposed of on the private market; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: There are no Ministry of Defence properties in Greater London which are completely empty and awaiting disposal on the open market. There are however, currently two sites which are partially vacant and are either on the open market or due to be offered in 2003–04. These include part of the TA Centre, Highwood Barracks, Dulwich and the Canteen site, Elmwood Ave, Feltham.

Fire Dispute

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the firefighters' strike has had on the status of (a) HMS Exeter, (b) HMS Glasgow, (c) HMS Newcastle, (d) HMS Lancaster, (e) HMS St. Albans and (f) HMS Southampton, and the timing of their planned availability for service with the fleet.

Adam Ingram: HMS Exeter, HMS Glasgow, HMS Newcastle, HMS Lancaster and HMS Southampton have all undergone changes to their programmes to allow their crews to support Operation Fresco. Although they were alongside for varying periods, with the exception of HMS Lancaster, their individual readiness states were not affected and subject to any essential maintenance and training requirements, they could have returned to sea within that readiness profile if their crews had been released from Operation Fresco duties. I am witholding details of ships' readiness in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to Defence, Security and International Relations. HMS St. Albans was damaged by the impact of a commercial ferry in bad weather conditions while St. Albans was alongside in Portsmouth on 27 October 2002. The collision meant that St. Albans was unable to continue with her operational sea training programme and her crew were used in support of Operation Fresco nevertheless, the ship would still be available for tasking within her readiness profile.

Forces' Communication Systems

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what problems have been discovered on the compatibility of the communications systems of the armed forces and the emergency services during the interim measures being put in place in advance of the introduction of Airwave.

Adam Ingram: Airwave is a public safety radio service being implemented by police forces across the United Kingdom with the roll out programme due to be completed by 2005. It is Ministry of Defence policy to take up the Airwave service where interoperability with the emergency services is required. To ensure continued interoperability between the UK armed forces and the emergency services, during the police force roll out programme, interim communication arrangements have been out in place. While these interim arrangements do not provide the comprehensive interoperability that will be available when all users are on the Airwave system, they are as robust and flexible as possible: a deployable incident response communications capability is retained within the UK and where possible, the introduction of Airwave to the armed forces is being matched with that of the police forces. There are currently no reported problems with the interim arrangements.

Gulf War (Veterans' Illnesses)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the expenditure was in each year since 1997 on research into Gulf War veterans' illnesses, excluding sums spent on research by his Department into depleted uranium munitions; and what percentage of the annual departmental budget this represented in each case.

Lewis Moonie: The information requested is set out in the table. All figures are at outturn prices and include VAT:
	
		
			 Financial year Expenditure(9) (£) Defence budget (£ billion) Percentage of Defence budget 
		
		
			 1996–97 4,000 22.0 0.0000 
			 1997–98 899,000 20.9 0.0043 
			 1998–99 579,000 22.5 0.0025 
			 1999–2000 1,591,000 22.5 0.0070 
			 2000–01 2,470,000 23.5 0.0105 
			 2001–02 1,101,000 23.9 0.0046 
		
	
	(9) To the nearest £1,000

Gulf War Syndrome

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures have been taken to ensure that servicemen preparing to be deployed in the Gulf do not suffer medical complications which armed forces personnel experienced after the Gulf War.

Lewis Moonie: The health and well-being of the personnel we deploy is of the greatest importance to us. Standard vaccinations to Service personnel are administered routinely. Service personnel who are offered the anthrax vaccine are provided with information to help them make an informed decision about immunisation. Personnel also receive pre-deployment and in-theatre health briefings which include information on prevalent diseases, hazards arising from potential environmental exposures, personal hygiene, stress, and acclimatisation to living in arduous environments.

Iraq

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantity, by weight, of bombs have been dropped on Iraq by UK planes since the inception of the no-fly zone.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 7 February 2003
	No ordnance was released prior to Operation Desert Fox which took place at the end of 1998. We do not hold data for this operation.
	Between 1999 and 31 December 2002 the RAF, responding in self-defence against air defence targets, released 187.2 tonnes of ordnance.

Low Frequency Active Sonar

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the potential harm to marine mammals caused by Low Frequency Active Sonar (LFAS); when LFAS systems are scheduled to be fitted to Royal Navy vessels; what classes of warships are to be fitted with LFAS systems; and what discussions his Department has had with representatives of other NATO navies about the effect of Low Frequency Active Sonar on marine mammals.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment of Sonar 2087, a Low Frequency Active Sonar (LFAS) system. It is planned to be fitted in Type 23 Frigates between 2004 and 2013. The assessment indicated that the sonar has the potential to be harmful to marine mammals and developed a range of mitigation measures to minimise the impact. The assessment was subject to review by independent academic and scientific bodies. There are at present no plans to fit LFAS in any other Royal Naval vessels.
	The Ministry of Defence is in continuous dialogue with its NATO counterparts over environmental research findings and other relevant scientific developments.

Low Frequency Active Sonar

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the naval capabilities of Low Frequency Active Sonar.

Adam Ingram: The Low Frequency Active Sonar (LFAS) being developed for the Royal Navy will have the ability to detect, classify, localise and track hostile submarines whilst they remain outside the firing range of their own weapons systems. LFAS is planned to provide a force level, anti-submarine warfare capability in support of maritime operations.

Middle East (Health Advice)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what health promotion advice is planned for troops deployed to the Middle East.

Lewis Moonie: Service personnel deploying to the Gulf region are given pre-deployment and in-theatre briefings on health and hygiene matters based on current health risk assessments. Briefings would include information on prevalent diseases, hazards arising from potential environmental exposures, personal hygiene, stress, and acclimatisation to living in arduous environments.

National Memorial Arboretum

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding his Department is providing for the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas; when this will be provided; what other support the MOD is providing for the National Memorial; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence provides no funding or any other support for the National Memorial Arboretum. This arboretum is a private initiative which is administered by the National Memorial Arboretum Company Ltd. that has its own Board of Trustee Directors.

Nuclear Retaliation

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is with regard to nuclear retaliation by the UK or its allies in the event of the use of chemical or biological weapons in an attack by Iraq on (a) UK territory, (b) the territories of other states with which the UK has mutual defence commitments and (c) British and other forces engaged in military action against Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: The Government do not comment on hypothetical scenarios involving the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.
	The Government have made clear on many occasions that the use of United Kingdom nuclear weapons would only be contemplated in extreme circumstances of self defence. We made clear in the Strategic Defence Review New Chapter that aggression against us will not secure political or military advantage, but invite a proportionately serious response. Those, at every level, responsible for any breach of international law relating to the use of weapons of mass destruction will be held personally accountable.
	Questions as to the policy of other Governments on these issues should be addressed to them.

Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many nuclear-powered submarines, excluding SSBNs, he plans to keep in the submarine fleet in addition to the Astute class, once it is completed.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 3 February 2003, Official Report, column 53W.

Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) health and (b) security risks the hulks of paid-off SSNs and former Polaris submarines pose.

Lewis Moonie: Stringent regulations govern nuclear health and safety at the Devonport and Rosyth dockyards where decommissioned nuclear submarines have been stored safely for some twenty years. The conditions of their storage are subject to rigorous safety standards set by the Navy's own assessor, the Chairman Naval Nuclear Regulatory Panel (CNNRP).
	As soon as possible after a nuclear submarine leaves operational service the reactor is defuelled, any other significant mobile radiation sources are removed and the vessel prepared for safe storage afloat. Daily inspections are carried out and regular maintenance periods ensure the vessel is maintained to a high standard of preservation and safety. Local authorities also carry out independent monitoring and evidence to date shows that external radiation levels are within permissible limits and pose no health risk to the public.
	The decommissioned submarine hulks pose no security risk. A number of reviews have been completed of the security of storage sites, including a recent review at the Devonport site.

Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether hulks of paid-off SSNs and former Polaris submarines have been dismantled.

Lewis Moonie: None of the 11 nuclear-powered submarines that have been paid-off have been dismantled, and there are no plans to do this ahead of the work of the ISOLUS project to find a suitable way of storing radioactive material from decommissioned submarines on land.
	Currently, as soon as possible after the submarine leaves naval service, the reactor is defuelled, any other significant mobile radiation sources are removed and the vessel prepared for safe storage afloat.

Operation Telic

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether protest action taken by Greenpeace hindered preparations for Operation Telic; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 February 2003, Official Report, column 402W, to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis).

Pyridostigmine Bromide

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recent research on the possible link between pyridostigmine bromide and brain cell damage.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

RAF

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Tornado, (b) Harrier and (c) Jaguar RAF aircraft have been flown in combat operations during their operational lives; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

RAF Portreath

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what land assessments and additional studies have been undertaken by the Government or agencies on behalf of the Government with respect to (a) past and (b) current activities and the environment at RAF Portreath at Nancekuke in Cornwall in the last 30 years.

Lewis Moonie: The following environmental surveys have been undertaken at RAF Portreath in the last 30 years:
	
		
			 Title Date 
		
		
			 Water Sampling by National Rivers Authority 1990 
			 Quarterly Water Sampling by Defence Scientific and Technical Laboratory (DSTL) 1999-on going 
			 Phase 1 Land Quality Assessment by RAF Command Scientific Support Branch 1999–2000 
			 Phase 2 Land Quality Assessment by Enviros Aspinwall Consultants 2000–01

Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tanker Fleet

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the capability of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker fleet to supply the Royal Navy.

Adam Ingram: In July 2000 we commenced a detailed study to determine the long-term requirement for future afloat support, including the capability currently provided by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. As a direct result of this work, a number of broad future requirements were identified, and I informed the House on 17 July 2002 of the formation of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Integrated Project Team (IPT). The MARS IPT is currently in the early stages of investigating potential solutions to the delivery of Future Afloat Support. At this stage it is yet to be decided the exact mix of vessel type and numbers required to provide this capability and the method by which the capability will be acquired. We expect this programme to deliver the first elements of this future capability by the end of this decade. In the meantime, we remain receptive to innovative and cost effective proposals from industry and industrial consultation is in progress.

Service Accommodation (Germany)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the costs of upgrading armed services accommodation in Germany in each year from 1998–99 to 2009–10; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Expenditure on routine improvements to accommodation in the garrisons in Germany before 2002–03 forms part of their overall property management budget and this expenditure is not recorded centrally.
	However, approximately £3.2 million extra was spent in Germany during 2001–02, as part of Project READER, to provide early improvements to single living accommodation.
	In addition to the completion of Project READER this year, specific programmes are being developed to upgrade over 8,000 quarters owned by the German Federal Government between 2003 and 2012. Over the next 10 years we also intend to upgrade 5,400 single living bedspaces to en-suite in line with improvements planned for the United Kingdom.
	In total, we expect to spend some £3.6 million on these projects during 2002–03. The detailed programme between 2003 and 2010 has yet to be finalised. Total costs are provisionally some £360 million.

Service Personnel

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 28 January, Official Report, column 852W, on service personnel, what is the (a) establishment and (b) actual number of operators and engineers for the Containers Handling Rough Terrain Fleet; and how many are (i) reservists (ii) medically downgraded, (iii) on active service and (iv) deployed on operations; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The right hon. Adam Ingram MP holding answer 6 February 2003 Tradesmen of all three services who use Mechanical Handling Equipment could be expected to operate and maintain the small Container Handling Rough Terrain (CHRT) fleet. There is no dedicated establishment of operators for this one equipment and it is not therefore possible to answer the specific questions posed.

Tank Procurement

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tanks were owned by the UK armed forces in each year since 1980–81; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom armed forces owns a fleet of 386 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks. For previous years, the information is included in the Ministry of Defence Performance Report (1997 onwards) in the table showing Army Equipment Holdings within the scope of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty. For the period 1991 to 1996 the information was published in the Statement of the Defence Estimates (SDE) for each year. Prior to 1991, this information was provided in the SDE but in a different format, based on the force structures at that time. These documents are held in the Libraries of the House.

Troops (Disclaimers)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British troops are being asked to sign disclaimer forms prior to receiving injections as part of preparations for possible deployment to the Gulf.

Lewis Moonie: There is no requirement for Service personnel who are offered vaccination to sign any waivers or disclaimers, whether they accept the vaccinations or not. All vaccinations are administered on a voluntary basis and as part of the individual giving their informed consent to receive the vaccination, they are advised of the consequences of their refusal, and of any possible side-effects of the vaccine. Units may, if required, maintain administrative records of which personnel have received the necessary briefings, or need to be re-offered boosters, so that the continuity of immunisation programmes can be maintained. None of these records constitutes a legal waiver or disclaimer, and none supplants the Ministry of Defence's responsibilities in respect of the health and safety of Service personnel.

Type 23 Frigates

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Type 23 frigates which (a) will and (b) will not be fitted with Sonar 2087.

Adam Ingram: It is planned to fit Sonar 2087 in twelve of the sixteen Type 23 Frigates. The first six are likely to be HMS Westminster, Northumberland, Richmond, Somerset, Grafton and Sutherland. The other six ships have yet to be selected.

Type 23 Frigates

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the total of Type 23 frigates.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 710W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr Hancock) and to the answer my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence gave on 30 April 2002 Official Report, column 746W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin).

University Fees

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the conditions under which armed forces personnel may obtain (a) payment of (i) university fees and (ii) other expenses and (b) repayment of university-related debts previously incurred in civilian life; how many (A) men and (B) women obtained such payments in the last academic year; and what the total cost of such payments was.

Lewis Moonie: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Vacant Ministry Buildings

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the value of the land and buildings owned by his Department and its agencies in Germany; what proportion of the buildings are vacant; what plans there are to dispose of these assets; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence does not own any buildings or facilities in Germany. The barracks and buildings which are used are provided by the German Government under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and Supplementary Agreements.

Vaccine Schedule (Gulf Deployment)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence he has assessed on whether the anthrax vaccine to be used by UK troops in the Gulf protects (a) against the strain of anthrax reportedly held by Iraq and (b) for long periods.

Lewis Moonie: We have set out our assessment of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction. Iraq admitted to UNSCOM in 1995 that it had produced anthrax as a biological weapon fill for ballistic missile warheads and bombs. It declared that it had possessed a number of different strains of the micro-organism. There is no evidence to suggest that Iraqi Forces possess a strain or strains of anthrax that would defeat the United Kingdom anthrax vaccine or other vaccines. Independent medical advice confirms that immunisation is safe and effective against anthrax used as a biological weapon. No vaccine is 100% effective which is why we use it in concert with other defensive measures including respirators, protective clothing and other medical countermeasures such as antibiotics.
	Immunisation against anthrax requires an annual booster to maintain a sufficient level of protective immunity.

Vaccines

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel have volunteered to receive (a) anthrax vaccines and (b) other vaccines; and what percentage of those offered the injections this represents.

Lewis Moonie: According to centrally held records, as at 21 January 2003, 16,538 personnel had been offered immunisation against anthrax, of whom 8,103 had accepted, an uptake rate of 49 per cent. Information on the uptake of other vaccines is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Vaccines

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact vaccines administered to Her Majesty's armed forces have been found to have on fertility; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 28 January 2003
	We are not aware of any clinical evidence to suggest that the vaccines offered to Service personnel have any impact on fertility.

Warship Hull Design

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the value of passive defence principles in warship hull design since the attack on the USS Cole.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has an ongoing pro-active research and development programme to address the value of all aspects of warship hull survivability, including passive defence principles, from potential external threats, including munitions, explosive devices and biological and chemical agents.
	The result of this work is used to inform the operation of, and improvements to, existing warships and made available to Industry in the context of contracting for the designs of new warships.

Whitehall

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the value of Ministry of Defence buildings in Whitehall, London; what the value is of each building; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The information is as follows:
	
		
			 Building £ million 
		
		
			 Great Scotland Yard 2 
			 Old War Office 170 
			 Horseguards 3.207 
			 Main Building 85 (but projected to be circa 350on completion in April 2004) 
			 Northumberland House 12

Whitehall

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence staff work in buildings in Whitehall, London; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: There are approximately 3,400 Ministry of Defence staff working in six MOD buildings in the Whitehall area. It should be remembered that of these three, Main Building is currently undergoing a major redevelopment.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Employment (Autism)

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to support people with autism who want to work.

Nick Brown: People with autism can access the full range of Jobcentre Plus employment programmes aimed at helping people with disabilities to find work, including Workstep and Access to Work.
	The Department also has a contract with the National Autistic Society's Prospects service to develop and test ways of helping people with autism and Asperger syndrome into work.

Pensions

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the most recent Office for National Statistics estimates of the value of private pension funds.

Ian McCartney: The Office for National Statistics estimate that the total assets of self-administered pension funds were as shown in the table. The latest year for which data are available is 2000. Since then the total will have been affected by a number of factors, including movements in asset prices. Until later data are available we cannot assess their impact. These figures exclude personal and some occupational pension schemes. Figures for 2001 are expected to be available from ONS around spring 2003.
	
		Market value in current prices
		
			  £ billion 
		
		
			  
			 1997 656.9 
			 1998 699.2 
			 1999 812.2 
			 2000 765.2 
		
	
	The caveats to note are as follows:
	This data are provided by The Office for National Statistics (ONS series code AHVA).
	The ONS statistics are based on sample surveys which are grossed to a population drawn from the National Association of Pension Funds Yearbook. The resulting figures are raised by a further uplift factor to allow for pension funds which are not members of the trade association. This factor reflects information from the Share Ownership Survey conducted by ONS and information from the Occupational Pensions Supervisory Authority. The data are subject to errors inherent in survey-based data.
	The data cover self-administered pension funds only. A self-administered pension scheme is defined as an occupational pension scheme with units invested in one or more managed schemes or unit trusts. The trustees of these types of schemes can employ either an in-house fund manager to take the day-to-day investment decisions or they can opt to use an external manager to manage the investment. The data exclude personal pensions, unfunded and notionally funded schemes and fully insured schemes. An insured scheme is one where the scheme's trustees hold, as a sole asset, an insurance policy contract or an annuity contract.
	Unfortunately data are not available on the value of pension fund assets which are excluded from the figures quoted in the PQ answer.

Poverty

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effects of recent Government policy on benefits upon families with children at (a) average and (b) below average household income.

Malcolm Wicks: A full analysis of the income distribution is published annually in the Households Below Average Income series, and analysis of Government action to alleviate poverty is published annually in the Opportunity for all series. Both are available in the Library.
	As a result of our personal tax and benefit measures, by April this year, all families with children will be on average £1,200 a year better off. Moreover, increases have been targeted so that families with children in the poorest 20 per cent. of the population will be on average £2,400 a year better off.

Occupational Pension Schemes (Compensation)

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will introduce legislation to create a compensation fund for pensioners affected by the wind-up of occupational pension schemes following company failure.

Ian McCartney: A compensation scheme already exists to provide compensation for losses caused by dishonesty where the employer is insolvent. Proposals to increase the amount of compensation payable to 100 per cent. of actual loss are set out in the Pensions Green Paper "Simplicity, security and choice: working and saving for retirement" (Cm 5677).
	Proposals to introduce some form of insurance, perhaps a Central Discontinuance fund, are also set out in the Pensions Green Paper. These proposals would provide all scheme members with greater protection in cases where their company winds-up with insufficient funds to meet their pension liabilities.
	But before deciding what changes to implement, we will take into account responses from the consultation process.
	The protection that people receive if their pension scheme is wound up is very important. That is why we are looking carefully at proposals that would: share out scheme assets more fairly, introduce a centralised "clearing house" or some form of insurance, increase the compensation payable to members in the case of fraud or dishonest; and strengthen the protection for members whose solvent employer chooses to wind-up a scheme.
	The Government want to ensure that when a scheme winds up, the assets are divided among scheme members as fairly as possible. Through the Green Paper we are consulting on whether people who are approaching retirement age should be given a higher priority when scheme assets are distributed on wind-up, than at present. Or whether people who have been members of their pension scheme for a number of years should be given a higher priority.
	We are also consulting on whether there should be a fairer sharing of assets between those with larger and smaller pensions when a scheme winds up. Possibly setting a cap on the level of pension that those with the highest pensions might receive, if there are limited assets available in the scheme.
	We are considering moving pension schemes up the order of priority for payment. Possibly creating a new category of creditor, which would give pension schemes higher priority than at present.
	We are also seeking views on other approaches to dealing with under-funded defined benefit schemes that are wound up because their sponsoring employer becomes insolvent:
	A form of insurance (possibly a central discontinuance fund) that enables members to be more confident that, if their employer becomes insolvent with an under-funded pension scheme, they will receive the benefits promised.
	A centralised arrangement or "clearing house" into which people whose employer became insolvent could pay the funds that they receive on wind-up. The "clearing house" would seek to buy the best available deferred annuity from an insurance company and should be able to negotiate better annuity rates.
	Insurance or a centralised "clearing house" might have advantages, providing better protection for scheme members where a company becomes insolvent and is forced to close its under-funded scheme. However, the costs would need to be balanced against the greater overall level of security offered.
	A compensation scheme already exists to provide compensation for losses caused by dishonesty where the employer is insolvent. Proposals to increase the amount of compensation payable to 100 per cent. of the actual loss are set out in the Green Paper.
	When solvent employers start winding up their under-funded defined benefit pension schemes, this also leaves many scheme members in financial difficulty. So, we are also seeking views on changes to the debt on the employer provisions that might result in more funds being put into a scheme when a solvent employers chooses to wind it up.

Benefit Payments (Post Offices)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the number of benefit recipients that are being paid in cash at post offices.

Malcolm Wicks: Approximately 58 per cent. of claimants currently receive their benefit and pensions in cash at the post office and 42 per cent. are paid direct into a bank or building society account at the time of making the claim.

Benefit Payments (Post Offices)

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit claims are collected each week in cash at post offices; and how many are collected (a) by the recipient and (b) by an agent.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of order book foils and girocheques cashed each week at post offices is approximately 12 million.
	Some customers who are paid direct into an account can also collect their benefit in cash at post offices through network banking arrangements at the post office. However, there is no data available on the number of benefit claims collected in this way.
	The information on the number of agents who collect benefit at post offices is only fully available for recipients of income support, jobseekers allowance and minimum income guarantee and this is provided in the table:
	
		Income support, jobseekers allowance and minimum income guarantee records not paid direct into bank or building society accounts as at 28 December 2002
		
			 Benefit Claimant accounts with an agent recorded Claimant accounts without an agent recorded 
		
		
			 Income Support 44,250 1,719,646 
			 Jobseekers Allowance 1,581 548,221 
			 Minimum Income Guarantee(10) 83,568 1,293,659 
			 Total 129,399 3,561,526 
		
	
	(10) Full figures are not available due to present transfers to Pension Centres.

Benefit Payments (Post Offices)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 21 January 2003, Official Report, column 260W, on benefit payments, how many of the customers who opted for payment into a bank or building society account selected accounts that are accessible via post offices.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the form requested. The information we collect within the Department does not differentiate between basic bank accounts and current bank accounts therefore we cannot distinguish which account is available at the post office. However there are now network banking arrangements in place that allow more people than ever before to access their money at post offices.

Direct Credit Scheme (Pensions)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under what circumstances someone will be judged to be unable to manage an account under the new direct credit scheme for state pension payments; how long the assessment process will take to judge someone unable to manage an account under the direct credit scheme; what measures are in place to ensure the continuation of payments while an assessment of a person's ability to manage an account is carried out; and whether a recipient of the state pension will be subject to reassessment on the matter of ability to manage an account.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 16 January 2003
	Customers will be provided with information on the account options available as part of the move to direct payment. Customers will be able to consider these options and choose the account that best suits their needs and circumstances.
	At present 85 per cent. of our customers (including 90 per cent. of pensioners) already have access to a suitable account for direct payment. We recognise that for some people a full bank account may not be suitable. If a customer feels unable to cope with one of these accounts a basic bank account or a post office card account may be a better option as they are very straightforward to operate.
	A basic bank account will not normally have cheque book or overdraft facilities and a post office card account will only accept benefit, pension or tax credit payment into it and it has no other facilities such as overdrafts. Therefore there is no reason why the overwhelming majority should not be able to open an account that they can operate.
	The Department understands that clearly there will be some customers, who, for a variety of reasons, cannot or will not open a current or basic bank account, and who cannot open a post office card account. To make these payments we are developing an exceptions service, which will be available at outlets including the Post Office.

Disability

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to extend (a) women's and (b) disabled rights to membership of private clubs.

Maria Eagle: On 22 January, my right hon. Friend announced that the draft Disability Bill that we intend to publish later this year would contain provisions to bring membership of larger private clubs within the Disability Discrimination Act and that we would consult widely on how and when the practical changes involved would take effect. The position of women in relation to membership of private clubs is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister for Women.

Hepatitis C (Compensation)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the exemption of the proposed compensation payments for hepatitis C sufferers in Scotland from rules on benefits clawback.

Malcolm Wicks: We are aware of the Scottish Executive's proposals to compensate people who have contracted hepatitis C from contaminated blood products.
	Discussions about these proposals and their impact on the payment of social security benefits are ongoing. No conclusions have yet been reached.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of housing benefit recipients in private accommodation in each English region are in local authority arranged temporary accommodation.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information for 2000–01 is in the table.
	
		
			   Local authority tenant boarders Private tenant boarders 
			 Government office region Housing benefit recipients By number As proportion of caseload(11) (%) By number As proportion of caseload(12)(%) 
		
		
			 England 3,268,000 11,000 0.34 38,000 1.16 
			 North East 250,000 (13)— (13)— 2,000 0.8 
			 North West 534,000 1,000 0.19 6,000 1.12 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 356,000 2,000 0.56 4,000 1.12 
			 East Midlands 241,000 (13)— (13)— 2,000 0.83 
			 West Midlands 360,000 (13)— (13)— 4,000 1.11 
			 East 275,000 (13)— (13)— 3,000 1.09 
			 London 601,000 6,000 1.0 8,000 1.33 
			 South East 380,000 1,000 0.26 5,000 1.32 
			 South West 272,000 (13)— (13)— 5,000 1.84 
		
	
	(11) Local Authority tenant boarders are defined as people who have been placed in temporary accommodation by the authority and a charge for that accommodation is paid to the authority.
	(12) Private tenant boarders are defined as people who pay a private landlord for temporary bed and breakfast or hostel accommodation.
	(13) Signifies the data is negligible.
	 Notes
	1. The data refer to households claiming housing benefit, which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one benefit household can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share arrangement.
	2. Data for any non-responding authorities will have been estimated.
	3. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	4. Data are not collected separately on the number of people staying in private local authority arranged temporary accommodation that is not a board and lodge establishment.
	5. Figures exclude housing benefit extended payment cases
	Source
	Housing Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent caseload
	stock-count, averaged over May, August, November 2000 and February 2001

Housing Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of reducing the eligible rent of all housing benefit claimants by £10 per week and introducing a £10 per week housing credit for all recipients of the working tax credit who are either renters or homebuyers with a mortgage.

Malcolm Wicks: The estimate requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

NI Contributions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the ages of the women who (a) revoked and (b) did not revoke their reduced rate National Insurance contribution elections during 1978–79.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The ages of the women who (a) revoked and (b) did not revoke their reduced rate National Insurance contribution elections would be available only for the year requested at disproportionate cost. Available estimates based on a 3 per cent. sample of the National Insurance Recording System (NIRS2) are in the table. However, the reduction in the numbers paying at the reduced rate will be due only in part to those actively revoking their election.
	
		Thousand
		
			 Age during 1978–79tax year Revoked election Continuing election  
		
		
			 16 to 20 0.2 0.8 
			 21 to 30 27 386 
			 31 to 40 72 1,242 
			 41 to 50 61 1,468 
			 51 to 60 42 817 
			 >60 6 316 
			 Total 208 4,230 
		
	
	In 1978–79 married women paying at the reduced rate made up some 45 per cent. of the total number of women paying National Insurance contributions. Latest published figures for 2000–01 indicate that this has fallen to around 1 per cent. It is estimated that the current number of married women paying at the reduced rate is around 80,000.

Pension Age Addition

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to increase the pension age addition for those over 80.

Ian McCartney: The 25 pence age addition was introduced by the Conservative Government in 1971. We have gone much further. We have introduced measures which from October 2003 will mean that the poorest third of pensioner households will have gained over £1,500 a year in real terms.
	We have introduced free TV licenses from age 75 worth over £100 a year, winter fuel payments of £200 per year for eligible households paid to some 11 million people in 8 million households and the minimum income guarantee which means that no single pensioner has to live on less than £102.10 and no couple on less than £155.80 from April.
	In Scotland, nearly 1 million people got winter fuel payments last winter and some 185,400 are in receipt of minimum income guarantee. In the Edinburgh West constituency, some 17,500 people received winter fuel payments last winter and around 1,400 are in receipt of the minimum income guarantee.
	We are going further still with the introduction of pension credit from October 2003.
	We have therefore found a better way to help pensioners with the lowest incomes.
	The age addition will be maintained, but on its own it is not the most cost-effective way to help elderly pensioners.

Pensioners (Lancashire)

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions What recent steps he has taken to improve the financial position of pensioners in Lancashire.

Ian McCartney: Over 35,000 people in Lancashire benefit from the Minimum Income Guarantee—a policy we introduced—and receive an average £47 a week. 216,000 pensioners have benefited from the above inflation increases in the State Pension. Additionally 233,000 people received a Winter Fuel Payment of up to £200. Those Lancashire pensioners eligible for Pension Credit stand to gain around £400 a year on average.
	The creation of The Pension Service provides an ideal opportunity to further encourage pensioners to take up their entitlements. The newly opened Burnley pension centre currently employs around 387 1 staff, and will have responsibility ultimately for around 500,000 customers. It has an active local service providing direct support to customers through appointment based and drop in advice surgeries and places a great deal of importance in outreach activity in order to maximise take up. There are currently 106 staff carrying out local service activities in Lancashire and Cumbria, including a number of surgeries in the South Ribble area including weekly surgeries at Leyland council offices.
	1 Expressed as full-time equivalent unit

Post Office Card Accounts

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to encourage the use of a post office card account; and if there will be a limit on the number of such accounts.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department's information campaign, which is central to the move to direct payment, provides customers with full information on all banking options available. This includes information on the post office card account and advises customers to contact the Department should they want to open one.
	There will be no limit on the number of post office card accounts however as we have made clear on a number of occasions this type of account will not be the best option for many people as it only has very limited features—for example, it will not be able to receive payments of wages, it has no direct debit facility, and can only be used when post office branches are open.
	It is important to remember that the post office card account is only one of three options that will be available to customers (standard bank/building society account, basic bank/building society account or post office card account). Customers will be supplied with the information they need to choose the account option which best meets their needs and circumstances.

Post Office Card Accounts

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he intends to limit the number of post office card accounts issued to benefits customers.

Malcolm Wicks: No.
	As we have made clear on a number of occasions the post office card account will not be the best option for many people as it only has very limited features—for example, it will not be able to receive payments of wages, it has no direct debit facility, and can only be used when post office branches are open.
	It is important to remember that the post office card account is only one of three options that will be available to customers (standard bank/building society account, basic bank/building society account or post office card account). Customers will be supplied with the information they need to choose the account option which best meets their needs and circumstances.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of people in Afghanistan she estimates had access to clean water in (a) 1990, (b) 1997, (c) 2000 and (d) now.

Clare Short: Historical data on Afghanistan is very limited. Statistics on access to drinking water have not been collected consistently within Afghanistan. In September 2001, the WHO and UNICEF produced a Joint Monitoring Report which provided the following figures on the percentage of the population with access to improved drinking water sources for the period 1980 to 2000:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1980 13 
			 1985 21 
			 1988 21 
			 1990 23 
			 1991 79 
			 1994 13 
			 1997 13 
			 1999 28 
			 2000 13 
		
	
	However, these estimates rely on ad-hoc surveys conducted by donors and may not represent the full picture as the surveys were not always conducted throughout the whole country and the different surveys relied on different methodologies. It is likely that sudden changes in the coverage (eg. 1990–91) are mainly explained by changing methodologies.
	The most recent UNICEF estimate for the percentage of the population with access to safe water remains 13 per cent.

African Union

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the outcomes of the most recent meeting of the African Union in Ethiopia.

Clare Short: The 3 February African Union Extraordinary Summit was held in Addis Ababa and attended by about 35 African Heads of State and government. In their opening addresses, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa (Chairperson of the African Union) and Amara Essy (Interim Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union) both urged that an African Union Peace and Security Council should be established to lead Africa's work on conflict prevention and resolution. The UK supports the establishment of this body. A communiqué on conflict resolution was released following the meetings supporting efforts to resolve conflicts throughout Africa and urging that the Iraq crisis continue to be addressed through the UN. We understand that a number of amendments to the AU's Constitutive Act and a range of other issues, such as the roles and involvement of women and the African diaspora in the continent's development, were also discussed.

African Union

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether representatives of her Department attended the most recent meeting of the African Union in Ethiopia.

Clare Short: No DFID representatives attended the 3 February meeting of African Union Heads of State in Ethiopia. This extraordinary Summit was internal to the African Union.

African Union

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial support her Department is providing to the African Union.

Clare Short: DFID's has an existing agreement with the Conflict Management Centre of the African Union to provide capacity building support. Under the agreement, we are providing financial support equivalent to £677,933 over a period of 27 months from June 2001 to August 2003. We are in discussion with the African Union about provision of further support after the current agreement expires. Our work with the Conflict Management Centre is funded from the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool as part of the UK's cross-departmental work on conflict resolution in Africa.

Botswana

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what importance her Department accords the rights of indigenous peoples in Botswana in developing her Department's aid programmes for Botswana.

Clare Short: DFID's Southern Africa Strategy, published in October 2002, notes the challenge faced by San communities in Botswana in overcoming social, political and economic exclusion and the importance of this issue being addressed in the government of Botswana's National Development Programme. DFID's support for rural development in Botswana aims to assist San communities as well as other poor people.

International Aid Assistance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her estimate is of UK spending on international aid assistance as a percentage of gross national product, in each year from 1980–81 to 2004–05 (planned); and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The record of UK spending on development assistance as a percentage of gross national income since 1980 is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Percentage 
		
		
			 1980 0.35 
			 1981 0.43 
			 1982 0.37 
			 1983 0.35 
			 1984 0.33 
			 1985 0.33 
			 1986 0.31 
			 1987 0.28 
			 1988 0.32 
			 1989 0.31 
			 1990 0.27 
			 1991 0.32 
			 1992 0.30 
			 1993 0.31 
			 1994 0.31 
			 1995 0.29 
			 1996 0.27 
			 1997 0.26 
			 1998 0.27 
			 1999 0.24 
			 2000 0.32 
			 2001 0.32 
			 2002 0.32 
			 2003 0.33 
			 2004 0.35 
		
	
	Her Majesty's Government committed in the 2002 spending review to reach 0.40 per cent. of GNI by 2005–06. We are also committed to reaching the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of GNI for oda, but no timetable has been set for achieving this. Levels of oda after 2005 will depend on the outcome of future spending reviews.

Iraq

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are being taken to make the oil for food programme in Iraq more effective.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	We continue to do all we can to make the Oil For Food (OFF) programme more effective in order to improve the humanitarian situation for the Iraqi people. The Goods Review List (GRL), a UK initiative implemented in July 2002, has significantly improved the flow of civilian goods to Iraq. Only military-related goods are now subject to review by the UN Sanctions Committee. But the Iraqi regime regularly attempts to hamper the programme. It has, for example, failed to spend over $3.8 billion of humanitarian funds lying unallocated in the UN account, and has delayed delivery of up to $2.3 billion worth of goods already approved by the UN.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether she will make it her policy to fund contingency preparations by humanitarian agencies in the event of war with Iraq.

Clare Short: My Department's regular funding to the UN and other humanitarian agencies includes provision for emergency preparedness for a variety of contingencies across the world. Following recent discussions with UN OCHA and other donors, I am supplementing this funding with an additional £3.5 million contribution to support UN humanitarian contingency planning for Iraq. This money will be allocated to a range of UN agencies likely to include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, WHO and UNSECOORD. UN agencies are planning for a variety of contingencies. We are keeping this situation under regular review and maintain close contact with UN agencies and other donors.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many third country nationals she estimates will leave Iraq in the event of military conflict, broken down by country of origin.

Clare Short: Refugee agencies have made a range of estimates, based on different scenarios, for the number of third country nationals who could be affected in the event of conflict in Iraq. If there is a conflict, we will work with others to minimise massive movements of people and provide support through the UN for those in need.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what level of funding the UNHCR has provided for support to Iraqi refugees in Iran in each of the last 12 years; and what the United Kingdom contribution has been in each year.

Clare Short: UNHCR fund specific refugee groups or specific regions when donors earmark their funding accordingly. If no earmarked funding is available for specific programmes, UNHCR use funds earmarked for that region, or, if no regional funds have been earmarked, from completely unearmarked funds.
	UNHCR's earmarked funding for Iraqis in Iran since 1990 is as follows:
	
		
			  US$ 
		
		
			 1990 787,402 
			 1991 58,810,332 
			 1992 2,000,000 
		
	
	There has been no earmarked funding for Iraqis in Iran since 1992.
	UNHCR's earmarked funding for south-west Asia, which may have partly been used to fund Iraqis in Iran, is as follows:
	
		
			  US$ 
		
		
			 1992 2,240,000 
			 1993 0 
			 1994 0 
			 1995 0 
			 1996 284,174 
			 1997 2,421,348 
			 1998 1,000,000 
			 1999 900,000 
			 2000 290,103 
			 2001 3,623,942 
			 2002 856,193 
		
	
	None of the above funds were provided by the UK.
	DFID is not currently providing funding to UNHCR for the Iraqi refugees in Iran. DFID's funding has been channelled through the AMAR International Charitable Foundation, a London based NGO.
	DFID has provided £2.25 million in funding to AMAR over the last three years in support of their health care and water and sanitation interventions to the 95,000 Marsh Arabs and refugees. Further support for the future is under consideration. Support has focused on the provision of medical care and the improvement of sanitary conditions.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of (a) shelter and (b) food for Iraqi citizens fleeing to (i) Turkey, (ii) Saudi Arabia, (iii) Kuwait, (iv) Jordan and (v) Syria in next three months.

Clare Short: Responsibility for such assessments rests with UNHCR and WFP, who are engaging in planning for a range of contingencies. My Department is in regular contact with these and other UN agencies, and I am confident their planning is as good as it can be given the uncertainties and difficulties involved.

Ivory Coast

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the political situation in the Ivory Coast, with particular reference to the recent peace deal.

Clare Short: Her Majesty's Government welcomes the agreement signed by the Ivorian political forces in Linas-Marcoussis on 24 January 2003and approved by the subsequent Conference of Heads of State, which we consider provides a basis for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. However the situation in Cote d'lvoire remains unstable and it is vital that the different sides take the necessary steps to implement the agreement without delay, to avoid further deterioration. We are continuing to monitor the humanitarian impacts of the situation closely.

Jammu and Kashmir (Funding)

Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with (a) the administration in Jammu and Kashmir and (b) the Government of India regarding funding by her Department for projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

Clare Short: When I visited India in December last year I discussed the development needs of the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the Minister of External Affairs, Mr. Yashwant Sinha, and the Minister of Finance, Mr. Jaswant Singh. My officials have since written and spoken to officials from the Ministry of Finance, emphasising my Department's willingness to support the social and economic development of the state. The most recent of these meetings took place on 7 February, when it was agreed that they should meet with members of a special task force that has been set up by the Government of India to co-ordinate international assistance to the state.
	In December last year officials from my Department met with the Finance and the Planning Secretaries of the state. In January the Head of DFID's India Office accompanied the British high commissioner on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir and met with senior politicians and officials. DFID officials have subsequently met with the Resident Commissioner for Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi.

Kalahari

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has made to the Government of Botswana regarding their policy of relocating San Bushmen of the Kalahari.

Clare Short: The British High Commissioner to Botswana most recently discussed the relocation of San communities with the Government of Botswana in December 2002. This was the most recent in a series of discussions in which we have consistently expressed concerns over this issue.

Kalahari

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what conditions were imposed on Botswana with regard to the receipt of aid from the EU for the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR); and what assessment her Department has made of these conditions.

Clare Short: Conditions for release of EC resources are agreed between the EC and recipient governments for individual projects and programmes, and normally relate to project implementation issues. The EC/ Botswana Wildlife Conservation and Management Programme has two objectives: (i) conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in four protected areas and adjacent wildlife management areas, and (ii) to enable local communities to develop sustainable use of wildlife and natural resources within these areas. The programme contains one element which foresees possible activities in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). The Programme began only recently and the EC advise that so far all conditions have been met.

Kalahari

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid the EU has provided to support the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: In the past five years the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) has been the object of two EU environmental programmes: (i) the Wildlife Conservation and Utilisation in central and southern Botswana started in 1995. It aims to achieve a sustainable pattern of natural resources utilisation in four protected areas in central/southern Botswana, including the CKGR, through support to management, infrastructure, equipment, training and community projects. The EU contribution is Euro6.500.000; (ii) the Wildlife Conservation and Management Programme began in September 2002. Its aims are summarised in my reply to question 4847. The EU contribution is Euro14.000.000. It is not possible to break these two figures down to an annual expenditure purely on the CKGR.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve(Bushman Relocation)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many bushmen of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve her Department estimates to have been forcibly relocated by the Botswana Government in each of the last six years.

Clare Short: My Department does not hold such. In his State of the Nation address in October 2001 the President of Botswana said that 2,169 people had relocated in recent years leaving 559 still inside. It is not clear what proportion of the first figure moved voluntarily to new settlements. We estimate that there are now less than 100 people inside the reserve. The Government of Botswana say no force was used in the relocation.

Mozambique

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support she provides for the development of public service broadcasting in Mozambique.

Clare Short: DFID does not provide direct support for the overall development of public service broadcasting in Mozambique.
	However, DFID for the past two years has supported an educational radio programme through public radio (Radio Mozambique) in Zambezia Province, modelled after the early Archers programmes in the UK. This consists of a soap opera and magazine programmes in local languages which raise issues such as HIV/AIDS, children's health, land conflicts and new agricultural techniques, while providing advice and discussion.
	A recent independent survey estimated that about half the population of the province (1.6 million people) listen regularly, and are able to identify the characters and many of the educational messages. In these isolated and poor country areas with few other external sources of information, the programme is playing a vital role.
	Since 2002 a Media Support Partnership MSP has been funded through the National Aids Council, which itself is supported by DFID, to support community radio networks in rural areas of mainly southern Mozambique.

Sierra Leone

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate has been made of the numbers of (a) direct and (b) indirect beneficiaries of the Community Integration Programme in Sierra Leone; what estimate has been made of the cost per beneficiary; what assessment has been made of the value added by the programme; how many individual projects there are in the programme; what further plans there are for the programme; and if she will make a statement

Clare Short: The Community Reintegration Programme (CRP) is helping to re-establish inclusive social, economic and cultural networks at community level in northern Sierra Leone. This is leading to the reintegration of former ex-combatants and other war-affected people into viable and stable communities
	The CRP began in March 2001 and initially covered three Chiefdoms within Port Loko District. It has since been extended to 42 northern Chiefdoms within the Districts of Bombali, Tonkolili, Kambia and Port Loko. Management of the CRP is contracted out to Agrisystems Limited, a consultancy specialising in post-conflict management.
	The work involves understanding community needs, fostering reintegration and reconciliation, reviving agricultural production, supporting small-scale enterprise development, rehabilitating physical infrastructure and improving water, sanitation and health.
	The CRP has worked directly to identify and cater for the priority needs of approximately 100,000 people in more than 200 communities. Indirectly, between 700,000 and 800,000 people are benefiting within the targeted Chiefdoms. Additionally, the CRP is also assisting the work of National Commission for Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration (NCDDR) by providing vocational training programmes and toolkits for over 5,000 ex-combatants and unemployed youths.
	The 279 projects so far supported under the CRP have:
	through women's groups and agricultural associations, provided seeds and tools to more than 12,000 rural families;
	returned more than 7,000 acres (3,000 ha) of agricultural land to sustainable production;
	supported more than 160 small businesses and associations through business skills training and the provision of grants for revolving credit;
	constructed and rehabilitated five key road arteries including repairs to bridges, culverts and ferries;
	rehabilitated 15 schools;
	built and rehabilitated civic structures, including 14 police stations, court barries, markets and a customs building;
	supplied 20,000 families with clean, potable water;
	conducted 80 community based health education and HIV/AIDS campaigns.
	In addition to these works, the value-added component is significant. The Programme has helped to;
	build capacity of implementing partners and local government, that will leave behind a core of national expertise able to design, implement and monitor community-based programmes;
	promote reconciliation and unification through the funding and management of sporting and cultural events;
	address environmental and production concerns through the establishment of community forest nurseries and community fisheries to offset the over-exploitation of scarce natural resources;
	A total of £12.9 million has been committed to the programme. It is scheduled to finish in September 2003.

Sierra Leone

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of beneficiaries of the project on the repair of the Mabanta ferry, Port Luko district in Sierra Leone; and what the cost of this project was.

Clare Short: The Mabanta Ferry is one of five river ferries being rehabilitated through the DFID Community Reintegration Programme in northern Sierra Leone. They are helping to re-establish the transport network and link remote communities to the main market centres.
	The Mabanta ferry benefits an estimated 150,000 people in four remote chiefdoms. The work cost £18,000, and was completed in January 2003.
	The key benefits of the project have been:
	To open up the once isolated and abandoned Sanda Magbolonton Chiefdom;
	Increase opportunities for commerce and access to markets for agricultural produce;
	Encourage the re-entry of service providers engaged in poverty reduction activities;
	Increase inter-chiefdom and inter-tribal reunification and reconciliation;
	Improve the standard of education of children, in Sanda Magbolonton Chiefdom in particular, by facilitating the return of qualified teachers who left because of the absence of the ferry;
	Improve access to health services.

Staff Numbers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons staff numbers in her Department have changed between 1997–98 and 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The increase in DFID's staff numbers reflects the growth in the size of the aid programme and the remit of the Department. Since 1997 we have devoted more resources to the analysis of development issues and to influencing partner governments and organisations.
	As a proportion of DFID's total development budget staff costs, as reflected by the paybill, fell from 1.5 per cent. in 1997–98 to 1.3 per cent. in 2001–02.

World Food Programme

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the estimated amount of food aid required by the World Food Programme is; and how much has been distributed to (a) Zambia, (b) Zimbabwe, (c) Malawi, (d) Mozambique, (e) Lesotho, (f) Swaziland and (g) Angola.

Clare Short: The World Food Programme estimated their food aid requirement for the southern Africa region (excluding Angola) to be approximately 990,000 MT for the period 1 July 2002 through 30 June 2003. Approximately 830,000 MT of food aid have secured, leaving a shortfall of 160,000 MT.
	The WFP distribution for the southern Africa region, for July through December 2002 was 271,053 MT.
	(a) Zambia: 31,506 MT
	(b) Zimbabwe: 96,263 MT
	(c) Malawi: 105,898 MT
	(d) Mozambique: 14,301 MT
	(e) Lesotho: 13,307 MT
	(f) Swaziland: 9,778 MT
	We are awaiting figures for January 2003 which should be made available later this month. Additional food was provided by other agencies and by governments in the region.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Permits

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted work permits in each of the past seven years.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 February 2003
	The number of work permits issued in each of the last seven years is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Number issued 
		
		
			 1996 38,256 
			 1997 44,958 
			 1998 53,962 
			 1999 60,743 
			 2000 88,651 
			 2001 120,823 
			 2002 136,152

Permits

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were granted in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) country of origin, (b) whether the permit was open or specific to one type of employment and (c) category of employment; and what proportion were granted (i) in-country and (ii) in the UK.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 February 2003
	A work permit is issued in respect of a specific post with a specific employer. The existing work permit arrangements are demand-led and are not targeted upon particular nationalities.
	The figures for the top 20 nationalities for which work permits have been approved while the overseas worker was in this country in the calendar year 1 January 2002—31 December 2002 are given in the table:
	
		
			 Country of origin Country work permits approved 
		
		
			 India 13,434 
			 South Africa 7,192 
			 Philippines 6,465 
			 Australia 4,308 
			 USA 4,027 
			 Zimbabwe 3,254 
			 China 2,346 
			 Nigeria 2,'31 
			 New Zealand 2,129 
			 Pakistan 1,850 
			 Malaysia 1,518 
			 Japan 1,491 
			 Canada 1,182 
			 Ghana 932 
			 Kenya 737 
			 Jamaica 721 
			 Russia 635 
			 Mauritius 578 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 539 
			 Sir Lanka 449 
			 Total 65,394 
		
	
	The figures for the top 20 nationalities for which work permits have been approved before the overseas worker travelled to the United Kingdom in the calendar year 1 January 2002—31 December 2002 are given in the table:
	
		
			 Country of origin Out-country work permits approved 
		
		
			 USA 18,993 
			 India 18,395 
			 South Africa 6,528 
			 Philippines 6,313 
			 Australia 4,181 
			 Japan 2,613 
			 Canada 2,599 
			 China 2,244 
			 Pakistan 2,156 
			 Malaysia 1,807 
			 Poland 1,689 
			 New Zealand 1,357 
			 Russia 1,346 
			 Bulgaria 953 
			 Ghana 801 
			 Jamaica 792 
			 Nigeria 785 
			 Zimbabwe 770 
			 Bangladesh 751 
			 Hungary 675 
			 Total 89,050 
		
	
	The figures for the top 20 occupations for which work permits have been approved in the calendar year 1 January 2002—31 December 2002 are given in the table.
	
		
			 Occupational category Work permits approved 
		
		
			 Nurse 28,642 
			 Other Managerial Related Occupation 12,760 
			 Teacher (School/College 8,353 
			 Other Health/medical Occupation 7,004 
			 Other IT Related Occupation 69,935 
			 Software Engineer 6,768 
			 Chef 5,724 
			 Other Engineering Occupation 5,140 
			 Researcher 4,140 
			 Analyst Programmer 4,009 
			 Other Financial Occupation 3,807 
			 System Analyst 3,760 
			 Doctor 2,439 
			 Other Hotel and Catering occupation 2,243 
			 Accountant 1,944 
			 Marketing/Sales Manager 1,245 
			 Other Educational/Cultural Occupation 1,114 
			 Fashion (Model) 1,077 
			 Business Analyst 1,052 
			 Project Manager 909 
			 Total 108,975

Advisory Panel on Country Information

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will establish the Advisory Panel on Country Information under section 142 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 February 2003
	We expect to establish the Advisory Panel on Country Information in the coming months.

Advisory Panel on Country Information

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements and funding are or will be in place to assist the Advisory Panel on Country Information to carry out its functions under section 142(3) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 February 2003
	A secretariat will be established to provide support to the Advisory Panel on Country Information.
	The cost of any fees, allowances or expenses will be met from within existing funds available to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.

Asylum Seekers

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what constitutes an exceptional case for the purposes of the Home Office's discretion to grant permission to work for asylum seekers.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 7 February 2003
	Each case is considered on its individual merits. Permission to work would be granted if no decision had been made on the application for asylum and where the asylum seeker was able to demonstrate that there were compelling exceptional or compassionate circumstances which justified granting permission to work.

Asylum Seekers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the asylum application made by Mr. Samir Ameur on 16 March 1999 will be determined.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 30 January 2003
	I wrote to the hon. Member on 17 January 2003, and again on 6 February 2003.

Asylum Seekers

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people residing in Boston and Skegness (a) have had their initial application for asylum rejected and have submitted an appeal, (b) have applied for asylum and (c) have had an asylum appeal rejected.

Beverley Hughes: Asylum applications data are not available at regional level except by port (for those applications made at port—these accounted for 36 per cent. of applications in 2001). Corresponding information on initial decision outcomes, appeal cases and dismissed appeal cases, relating to persons in particular areas of the United Kingdom is also unavailable. The requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

Asylum Seekers

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that asylum seekers and recognised refugees who are eligible to vote are on the electoral register.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 February 2003
	The Representation of the People Act 1983 clearly stipulates who can and cannot vote in the United Kingdom. Asylum seekers are not eligible to vote and neither are refugees unless they become citizens of the United Kingdom. A visa allowing foreign nationals to stay in the United Kingdom indefinitely is not the same as citizenship and therefore, does not entitle a person the right to vote.
	Programmes for people seeking naturalisation will include information on the electoral process in the United Kingdom

Asylum Seekers

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to use Beachley Barracks, Sedbury, Chepstow, in Gloucestershire as a dispersal centre for asylum seekers.

Beverley Hughes: This property has not been considered to date by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) for emergency accommodation, dispersal accommodation or as an induction centre for the housing of asylum seekers. Site searching for suitable sites for an accommodation centre has continued as previously announced. We will not be putting into the public domain details of any sites unless and until they are considered to be a serious prospect for the siting of an accommodation centre.

Asylum Seekers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the total level of asylum support (a) fraud and (b) overpayment in each year since the establishment of NASS.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 3 February 2003
	The Home Office does not currently have an estimate of the level of asylum support fraud or the overpayment that could be related to this. However, we have established a dedicated team to investigate potential fraud in the asylum support system. We have also set up a team to conduct an audit of those cases supported by local authorities to assist the local authorities in identifying potential fraud in those cases. As part of the National Asylum Support Service regionalisation programme the structure and responsibilities of the investigations teams are being re-assessed with a view to strengthening the teams and improving working practice.

Asylum Seekers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 27 January 2003 (refs 91210, 91211 and 91212), what the total level of fraud was in the 1,286 cases where NASS support was terminated; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 3 February 2003
	The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) does not keep a central record of the level of fraud in individual cases.

Correspondence

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will respond substantively to the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell on behalf of Mr. T. Dethridge of Epsom, dated 20 November 2001.

Hilary Benn: A reply to the letter was sent on 31 January 2003. I apologise to the hon Member for the delay in replying.

GPs

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many general practitioners have been accepted for entry to Britain under (a) the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme and (b) through work permits in the past year.

Beverley Hughes: The number of general practitioners approved during the period 5 February 2002 to 4 February 2003 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Work Permits 53 
			 Highly Skilled Migrant Programme 9

Highly Skilled Migrants Programme

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been (a) made and (b) accepted for the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme, broken down by (i) nationality and (ii) occupation.

Beverley Hughes: Since the launch of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme on 28 January 2002, 2,809 applications have been received up to 5 February 2003. 1,414 of the applications have been approved. The nationality information requested is set out in the table. At present it is not possible to supply the occupational information requested due to the limitations of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme database. However, the database is being re-written to ensure that information of the type requested is extracted and published during the next financial year.
	
		
			 Country Total applications received Total applications approved 
		
		
			 Albania 4 1 
			 Algeria 3 1 
			 Argentina 25 18 
			 Armenia 1 1 
			 Australia 151 98 
			 Azerbaijan 2 1 
			 Bahrain 1 — 
			 Bangladesh 34 17 
			 Barbados 6 2 
			 Belarus 5 2 
			 Bolivia 1 — 
			 Botswana 1 — 
			 Brazil 16 8 
			 BNO 20 9 
			 Bulgaria 12 6 
			 Burkino Faso 1 — 
			 Cameroon 6 1 
			 Canada 79 59 
			 Chile 5 4 
			 China 60 37 
			 Colombia 43 8 
			 Congo 1 — 
			 Costa Rica 1 1 
			 Cuba 2 — 
			 Cyprus 3 2 
			 Czech Republic 1 1 
			 Dominican Republic 2 1 
			 Ecuador 2 1 
			 Egypt 29 13 
			 Estonia 2 2 
			 Ethiopia 1 — 
			 Gambia 5 1 
			 Georgia 3 2 
			 Ghana 37 5 
			 Grenada 1 1 
			 Guatemala 1 — 
			 Guyana 3 2 
			 Hong Kong 5 4 
			 Hong Kong—British 1 1 
			 Hong Kong—Chinese 3 3 
			 Hungary 5 5 
			 India 440 231 
			 Indonesia 4 2 
			 Iran 49 19 
			 Iraq 24 8 
			 Israel 17 10 
			 Jamaica 29 11 
			 Japan 11 9 
			 Jordan 11 3 
			 Kazakhstan 4 4 
			 Kenya 63 17 
			 Kyrgystan 2 — 
			 Latvia 1 — 
			 Lebanon 5 4 
			 Liberia 1 — 
			 Libya 4 2 
			 Lithuania 15 10 
			 Malawi 7 — 
			 Malaysia 26 16 
			 Malta 5 3 
			 Mauritius 5 1 
			 Mexico 13 5 
			 Moldova 2 2 
			 Mongolia 2 2 
			 Morocco 5 3 
			 Myanmar 5 2 
			 Namibia 2 1 
			 Nepal 7 3 
			 New Zealand 35 10 
			 Nigeria 300 34 
			 Pakistan 199 61 
			 Palestine 2 — 
			 Panama 1 1 
			 Peru 4 3 
			 Philippines 12 5 
			 Poland 10 7 
			 Rep of Korea 1 1 
			 Romania 17 9 
			 Russia 52 39 
			 Rwanda 1 1 
			 Senegal 2 — 
			 Sierra Leone 6 3 
			 Singapore 26 15 
			 Slovakia 3 2 
			 Slovenia 2 2 
			 South Africa 122 87 
			 South Korea 6 4 
			 Sri Lanka 33 10 
			 St Kitts 1 1 
			 St Lucia 1 1 
			 Sudan 19 6 
			 Switzerland 2 1 
			 Syria 5 — 
			 Taiwan 4 2 
			 Tanzania 12 5 
			 Thailand 3 2 
			 Tunisia 1 — 
			 Turkey 28 12 
			 Turkmenistan 1 1 
			 Uganda 9 1 
			 Ukraine 23 13 
			 USA 374 336 
			 Uzbekistan 1 — 
			 Venezuela 14 7 
			 Vietnam 1 1 
			 Yugoslavia 5 3 
			 Zambia 26 9 
			 Zimbabwe 102 33 
			
			 Total 2,809 1,414

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners since January 1999 have been released on the home detention curfew scheme; how many of those released had been sentenced for (a) homicide and attempted homicide, (b) other violence against the person, (c) drug offences, (d) assaults and (e) other offences; what the average sentence (i) received and (ii) served was; what the average period spent on the scheme was in respect of each offence; how many prisoners in each of the above categories have (A) breached the conditions of the curfew, (B) disappeared and been recaptured, (C) disappeared and remain unlawfully at large and (D) had their licences revoked with reasons; what the offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme were while on the scheme, including offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence; what the offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme who committed a further offence while on the scheme that was similar in character to that for which they were originally convicted were, including offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 6 February 2003
	It has not been possible to collate the information in the time available and I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

Infanticidal Mothers

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mothers convicted of murdering their infant children are in prison in the UK; and if he will list them.

Hilary Benn: The number of mothers convicted of murdering their infant children who are in prison in England and Wales at 3 February 2003 is four.
	Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for Ministers in the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost, per offender per month, of the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme.

Hilary Benn: The Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) was launched in 2001 to provide the courts with a tough community based programme designed to tackle persistent young offenders. It provides unprecedented levels of supervision, including electronic monitoring, with programmes designed to tackle the underlying causes of the offending behaviour. ISSP is available for those on bail, on community sentences (the Supervision Order and Community Rehabilitation Order) and those on the community phase of the Detention and Training Order. It costs £1,416 per offender per month.
	The main programme is being evaluated by Oxford University: the final report with reconvictions is due in March 2004.

Overstayers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have applied to the Home Office under the Registration Scheme for Overstayers, as provided for in Section 9 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; how many of those cases are awaiting determination; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: 15,315 applications were received by the closing date (revised figure following a full review). As at the end of September 2002, which is the latest date for which confirmed figures are available, 13,214 cases were awaiting determination. The target for consideration of all cases is April 2003 and arrangements are in place to determine the outstanding cases by that date.

Probation Service

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers there were in England and Wales in 1985; and what the most recent figure is.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is as follows:
	
		England and Wales
		
			  31 December 1985 31 December 2001 
		
		
			 Chief Officers 56 42 
			 Deputy/Assistant Chief Officer 201 294 
			 Senior Probation Officers 1,047 1,106 
			 Maingrade Probation Officers 5,039 6,027 
			 Total 6,344 7,469 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The latest figures available now are at 31 December 2001
	2. 7,919 actual people (including part-time) 7,506 (whole-time equivalent).
	Source:
	Figures obtained from RDS Probation Statistics.

Probation Service

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what help will be given to the Probation Service in Minehead to find new premises.

Hilary Benn: The estates management team in the Probation Directorate is working with the Avon and Somerset Probation Area to find better and more economical accommodation for staff based in Minehead. The objective is to enhance probation services delivery by targeting resources in the town, in order to deal more effectively with offenders.

Probation Service

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total funding for probation services was in Somerset in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03.

Hilary Benn: The funding for Somerset Probation Committee in 2000–01 was £3.761 million from Home Office grant plus £0.918 from Somerset county council.
	Somerset was amalgamated with Avon on 1 April 2001 when the new National Probation Service was created and therefore funding for Somerset was subsumed within Avon and Somerset Probation Board funding for 2001–02 and 2002–03. No separate funding information for Somerset is therefore available. Funding for the new Avon and Somerset Board was £13.480 million and £15.972 million respectively.

Probation Service

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers there were in Somerset in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is as follows:
	
		England and Wales—Number of probation officers
		
			  (a) 2000–01 (b) 2001–02 
		
		
			 Probation Officers 186.0 197.0 
			 Probation Service Officers 87.5 108.6 
			 Total 273.5 305.6 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are not yet available for 2002–03
	Source:
	Figures obtained from RDS Probation Statistics 2001

Probation Service

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of recruitment was for the Probation Service in Avon and Somerset in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  April 2001 to March 2002 April 2002 to date 
		
		
			 Starters 125 75 
			 Leavers 108 65 
		
	
	Source:
	Figures obtained from RDS Probation Statistics

Travellers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the oral answer by the Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for New Forest, East on 20 January, on new measures to simplify the removal of travellers from unauthorised sites, what discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on the issuing of new Planning Policy Guidance to make it easier for local authorities to obtain planning permission for local authority sites for travellers.

John Denham: holding answer 27 January 2003
	I understand from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister that Guidance on the planning aspects of sites for gipsies is set out in Department of the Environment Circular 1/94. This guidance applies equally to local authorities' own sites as well as to applications for planning permission from gipsies themselves or others wishing to develop land for use as a gipsy caravan site. Local authorities may grant themselves planning permission for their own development, but they must make planning applications in the same way as any other person and follow the same procedures as would apply to applications by others. The procedures which deal with development undertaken by local authorities are contained in the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992. There are no plans for central Government to issue further planning guidance on this matter.
	We are though working closely with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to produce operational guidance on managing unauthorised encampments. This guidance will be issued for consultation shortly.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Medical Schools

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications for medical training have been received by each medical school in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The latest available figures are in the table. Figures for 2002 will be available from UCAS in February. Over the last five years there have been changes to the application procedures for medical courses. As from 2000, applicants to medicine could make up to four applications where as in previous years the limit was six.
	
		Applications via UCAS to full-time courses in pre-clinical medicine
		
			  Academic year of entry 
			 Institution name 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Cambridge University 1,323 1,208 1,239 1,193 1,206 
			 Imperial College(14) 4,835 3,542 3,512 2,747 2,627 
			 King's College(14) 5,309 5,584 4,027 3,040 3,109 
			 Oxford University 684 727 615 629 767 
			 Queen Mary and Westfield College(14) 2,555 2,711 2,403 1,741 1,672 
			 St. George's Hospital Medical School(14) 1,524 1,817 1,854 1,689 1,851 
			 The Queen's University of Belfast 715 683 595 531 485 
			 University of Aberdeen 1,363 1,438 1,412 1,136 1,086 
			 University of Birmingham 2,400 2,137 1,995 1,567 1,625 
			 University of Edinburgh 2,756 2,777 2,599 1,974 2,073 
			 University of Leeds 3,279 3,015 2,781 2,049 1,925 
			 University of Liverpool 2,089 2,224 2,322 1,692 1,314 
			 University of Manchester 3,177 3,047 2,620 1,608 1,749 
			 University of Nottingham 3,305 3,189 3,195 2,075 1,812 
			 University of Sheffield 3,390 3,638 3,460 2,497 2,390 
			 University of Warwick 0 0 0 0 598 
			 University College London(14) 5,240 5,002 4,672 2,439 2,143 
			 University of Bristol 2,617 2,697 2,456 1,757 1,853 
			 University of Dundee 1,674 1,626 1,667 1,284 1,260 
			 University of Glasgow 1,510 1,606 1,528 1,163 1,137 
			 University of Leicester 2,451 2,576 2,137 1,949 1,325 
			 University of Newcastle Upon Tyne 2,571 2,253 2,181 1,599 1,706 
			 University of Southampton 2,179 2,413 2,683 2,192 2,385 
			 University of St. Andrews 0 0 0 583 593 
			 University of Wales College of Medicine 1,688 1,546 1,576 1,164 1,203 
			 Grand Total(15) 58,642 57,467 53,533 40,300 39,996 
		
	
	(14) All part of the University of London.
	(15) Includes a small number of erroneous applications which were incorrectly completed.

Bureaucracy Task Force Review

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the time scale is for the bureaucracy task force review of the higher education sector.

Margaret Hodge: The Government will respond to the Better Regulation Task Force report "Higher Education: Easing the Burden" in February. As I have already announced, I have set up a stakeholder group, chaired by Professor David VandeLinde, the Vice-Chancellor of Warwick University, to implement the appropriate recommendations and to identify other areas where we can remove unnecessary bureaucracy in higher education.

Further Education

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in (a) further education colleges, (b) sixth form colleges, (c) schools and (d) other centres of learning have completed (i) NVQs and (ii) GNVQs in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The number of awards of (i) NVQs and (ii) GNVQs made to candidates, by centre type, in each academic year since 1997 are in the following tables. Information for GNVQs for 2000–2001 is not available on a consistent basis to previous years because of changes to the data collection procedures that came into affect after the launch of Curriculum 2000.
	The number of full NVQs awarded per year now appears to have peaked. There are three main reasons for this:
	(i) In some sectors, when NVQs were first introduced, there was significant demand from the existing workforce. However, demand in those sectors is now mainly confined to new entrants and so year on year numbers have fallen.
	(ii) Measures taken to improve the quality assurance of NVQs have resulted in the withdrawal of some providers and some employers.
	(iii) There may have been movement from NVQs to vocationally-related qualifications (VRQs), which have now been accredited into QCA's National Qualifications Framework. The total number of all Vocational Qualifications (including NVQs) awarded has increased from 991 thousand in 1996–97 to 1.047 million in 2000–2001.
	My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Young People and Audlt Skills has asked the Government's three key partners in this area (QCA, Learning and Skills Council and Sector Skills Development Agency) to produce proposals to develop and implement a new framework for all vocational qualifications. The partners are due to report by the end of March 2003.
	GNVQs at all levels are gradually being replaced by other vocational qualifications. In September 2000 New Vocational A levels, also known as AVCEs (Advanced Vocational Certificates of Education) replaced Advanced GNVQs. The first full AVCE awards were made at the end of the 2-year cycle in summer 2002.
	
		NVQ awards by assessment centre by year in the UK -- Awards (thousands
		
			 Centre type 1997–98 1998–99 19992000 2000–01 
		
		
			 School 12.4 11.2 11.5 10.0 
			 FE college/Tertiary college 172.6 164.0 181.6 168.0 
			 Sixth form college 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 
			 Adult education centre 3.9 2.9 2.7 2.5 
			 University or other higher education centre 4.0 3.9 4.1 3.7 
			 Private training provider 191.8 170.9 163.9 130.1 
			 Local government/central government.NHS 5.4 4.6 3.6 3.0 
			 Voluntary organisation (16)— (16)— (16)— 00 
			 Employer 47.6 47.3 40.6 36.4 
			 HM prison/youth offender institution 1.2 (16)— 1.4 1.2 
			 Armed forces 4.6 3.2 3.5 3.0 
			 Overseas centre 0.0 6.0 5.2 2.3 
			 Other (16)— 11.5 19.0 36.6 
			 Total 446.0 428.2 438.9 398.4 
		
	
	(16) Less than 1000
	(17) Numbers may not add up to row and column totals due to rounding
	Source
	National information system for vocational qualifications
	
		GNVQ awards by assessment centre by year in the UK
		
			 Centre type 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 
		
		
			 School 35.1 40.6 45.2 
			 FE college/Tertiary college 54.6 58.3 58.7 
			 Sixth form college 10.7 11.1 11.2 
			 Adult education centre (18)— (18)— (18)— 
			 University or other higher educationcentre (18)— (18)— (18)— 
			 Private training provider (18)— (18)— (18)— 
			 Local government/central government/NHS (18)— (18)— (18)— 
			 Voluntary organisation 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Employer (18)— (18)— (18)— 
			 HM prison/youth offender institution (18)— (18)— (18)— 
			 Armed forces 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Overseas centre 0.0 (18)— (18)— 
			 Total 101.6 111.8 116.6 
		
	
	(18) Less than 1000
	(19) Numbers may not add up to row and column totals due to rounding
	Source
	National information system for vocational qualifications

Further Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many shortage subject bursaries has been awarded to new further education lecturers; and what changes he plans in the scheme for these bursaries.

Margaret Hodge: There have been 174 applications approved by the Learning and Skills Council for 'Golden Hello' payments between 1 October 2002 and 13 January 2003 to new recruits to further education teaching in designated shortage subject areas. Take up to date has been modest but we are working with the Learning and Skills Council to develop better awareness of Golden Helios. We intend to review the scheme to ensure it is effective and appropriately targeted.

Higher Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills with reference to his recent White Paper Cmnd 5735 on The Future of Higher Education, what plans he has to ensure that students from the poorest backgrounds will not be deterred from applying to universities which charge the maximum graduate contribution per year; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 29 January 2003
	As set out in "The Future of Higher Education" (Cm 5735), fair access means that the opportunities that higher education brings are available to all those who have the potential to benefit from them, regardless of their background. We know that raising participation and standards through our reforms of secondary and further education is critical to widening access.Our unified AimHigher programme will raise aspirations among young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
	Students from the poorest backgrounds will be eligible to have up to £1,100 of their fees paid, and student grants of 1,000 will be reintroduced for those from low income families From 2006 any university which wishes to charge variable fees will be required to have an Access Agreement which will be approved and monitored by the Access Regulator The Regulator will seek to extend current good practice through, for example, bursary schemes and other financial measures. The maximum fee will be capped in real terms for the duration of the next Parliament at £3,000. Additionally no student or family will have to pay fees before or while they are studying. Students will be able to defer their fees as for the current maintenance loans. The threshold at which repayment starts will be raised to 15,000, to make repayment easier for everyone. Repayments are income contingent and no real interest will be charged on student loans. Graduates will only be expected to pay back what they have borrowed in real terms.

Higher Education

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the drop-out rates were (a) in the first year, (b) in the second year and (c) in the third year for undergraduates in each university and higher education institution in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The available information on drop-out rates, showing first year and full course figures for each HE institution in the UK, is contained in "Performance Indicators in Higher Education", published annually since 1999 by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Copies of the four publications can be found in the House Library.
	The latest edition, published in December 2002, gives figures for students starting full-time first degree courses in the United Kingdom in 1999–2000. Table 3 shows rates of non-continuation after the first year of study and Table 5 gives drop-out rates across the full course.
	Figures published in 2002 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the UK as a whole has one of the lowest non-completion rates among OECD countries.

Hull University

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students attending Hull University have taken out student loans in each year since 1997; and what is the total amount of money borrowed.

Margaret Hodge: The number of students attending Hull University who have taken out a student loan, and the total amount of money borrowed, in academic years 1997–98 to 2001–02 is shown in the table:
	
		
			 Academic year 1997–98 1998–99(20) 1999–2000(21) 2000–01(21) 2001–02(21) 
		
		
			 Total number of borrowers of which:(22),(23),(24) 2,000 4,600 4,900 6,300 6,700 
			 Mortgage style loans(24) 2,000 3,100 1,800 600 100 
			 Income contingent repayment loans(24) N/A 1,500 3,100 5,700 6,600 
			   
			 Total amount borrowed of which:(23),(25),(26) 3.1 8.6 12.3 19.2 21.2 
			 Mortgage style loans 3.1 4.7 2.6 0.8 0.1 
			 Income contingent repayment loans(26),(25),(23) N/A 3.9 9.7 18.4 21.1 
		
	
	(20) New student support arrangements in higher education came into effect in September 1998. For the first year of the new scheme, eligible new entrants received support for living costs through both grants and loans. Grants, which were assessed against family income, on average formed about a quarter of the support available. All students were entitled to a non income-assessed loan, which comprised the remaining three quarters of support available.
	(21) New entrants to higher education in 1999–2000, together with those who started in 1998–99, received support for living costs solely through loans which are partly income-assessed. Grants for living costs are no longer available except for some limited allowances, e.g. for students with dependants; single parent students; and disabled students. Grants for students with dependants and single parent students are income-assessed but the Disabled Students' Allowance is not. From 1999–2000 student loans have been made available to those aged 50 to 54 who plan to return to work after studying.
	(22) Student loans are available to eligible students normally domiciled in the United Kingdom.
	(23) Refers to loans advanced in the target year only, which include those students in their first, second, third and any subsequent year of their course. Includes hardship loans but excludes fixed rate loans of £500 for part-time students introduced in September 2000.
	(24) Number of borrowers shown to the nearest one hundred.
	(25) The amount of loan available is assessed by local education authorities in England and Wales for eligible students who are normally domiciled in their area and studying in the UK.
	(26) £ million.
	Source
	The student loans company.

Hull University

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students (a) paid tuition fees and (b) were exempt from paying tuition fees at Hull University in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not available in the requested format. The student support arrangements up to, and including, academic year 1997–98 included the payment of tuition fees in full from public funds on behalf of eligible students domiciled in England and Wales. New student support arrangements came into effect at the start of academic year 1998–99 when new entrants to higher education were expected to contribute towards the cost of their tuition (£1,000 in 1998–99). The amount of the contribution depended on family income.
	The number of students attending Hull University and who entered higher education from 1998–99, who were assessed by their local education authority (LEA) for their eligibility for student support under the new arrangements, and the numbers on whose behalf a payment of tuition fees was made from public funds, is shown in the table. Students who did not apply to their LEA for assessment are excluded.
	Data for academic year 1998–99 are not available at institutional level.
	
		Number of students attending Hull university who were assessed for eligibility for tuition fee support(27),(28)
		
			 Academic year(29) 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Number assessed for tuition fee support 3,000 5,700 6,700 
			 Number of students who received either a full or partial public contribution towards the cost of their tuition(30) 1,600 3,200 3,600 
		
	
	(27) Students normally domiciled in England and Wales; excludes students normally domiciled in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the EU.
	(28) Students who applied to their local education authority for eligibility assessment.
	(29) Data for academic year 1999–2000 comprise students who entered higher education in 1998–99 and 1999–2000; data for 2000–01 comprise those who entered in 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01; and data for 2001–02 those students still in study from 1998–99 onwards and new entrants from 2001–02.
	(30) Excludes those students assessed to pay the full contribution towards their tuition costs.
	Source
	Student Loans Company

Post-16 Education

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimates he has made of how many pupils from each social class entered (a) further education and (b) higher education in each local education authority area in each academic year since 1990.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2003
	The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

School Sport

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of school sport on (a) exclusion rates, (b) GCSE and A-Level Grades and (c) classroom behaviour.

David Miliband: Evidence from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's physical education (PE) and school sport investigation suggests that high quality sport impacts on many areas of school improvement, including attainment, behaviour, attitudes to learning and attendance. The changes in behaviour have been particularly encouraging. Where schools have invested in developing high quality PE and school sport at lunchtimes, behaviour has consistently improved. Further information on the results of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's investigation is available on their website. "Game Plan", a joint report published on 19 December 2002 by the Cabinet Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, examined the effect of sport and physical activity on educational outcomes.
	The Government are investing £459 million over the next three years (2003–04 to 2005–06) to deliver a joint Department for Education and Skills and Department for Culture, Media and Sport Public Service Agreement target to enhance the take up of sporting opportunities by five to 16-year-olds. The objective is to increase the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport, within and beyond the curriculum, to 75 per cent. by 2006.

Schools Wages

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average wage paid is in 2002–03 per student in primary and secondary schools in shire local education authorities, broken down by authority.

David Miliband: My Department collects information on the costs of staff in schools only as part of Outturn statements, so information about 2002–03 will not be available until the end of this year.

Student Loans

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will set a limit on the duration of student loans beyond which all outstanding debt will be written off.

Margaret Hodge: Write-off arrangements for student loans are already in place. Under the current income-contingent loans scheme a borrower's loan is written off when they reach the age of 65, if they die, or if they become permanently disabled.

Students (Social Class Origins)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanism is used to record the social class origins of students in higher education.

Margaret Hodge: The social class of students in HE is derived from data included on the application form which applicants submit to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Applicants aged under 21 provide the occupation of their parent and those aged 21 or over give their own occupation. This information is then used to assign each student to one of six standard social class categories based upon the Standard Occupational Classification published by the Office for National Statistics.
	UCAS covers applicants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses only, but not all students entering these courses apply via UCAS: some, notably mature students, apply direct to the institution. Data on the social class of students on postgraduate and part-time undergraduate courses is not held centrally.

University Access Process

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how his Department will collate information on parents' level of education through the university access process announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper.

Margaret Hodge: Currently data on parental education are not collected centrally. The Department is setting up a group with external partners to discuss how appropriate and robust data might best be collected.

University Tuition Fees

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what impact his proposals will have on students studying in Scotland and Wales.

Margaret Hodge: Under current arrangements, students who ordinarily live in England and Wales will be eligible for funding provided by the UK Government, including the new higher education grant being introduced in 2004–05, regardless of where in the UK they undertake their higher education course.

Vocational and Technical Courses

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average costs of (a) vocational and (b) technical courses in higher education in England were in the last 12 months.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not held centrally. However, the methodology used by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to determine funding allocations recognises that some subjects, such as those which involve laboratory or workshop activities, require higher levels of resource to those which are mainly classroom based.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Expenditure Limits

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the departmental expenditure limits are in her Department's (a) resource and (b) capital budget for (i) museums, galleries and libraries, (ii) arts, (iii) sport, (iv) historical buildings, monuments and sites, (v) the Royal Parks, (vi) tourism, (vii) gambling and the National Lottery, (viii) ERDF, (ix) broadcasting and media, (x) commemorative services, (xi) administration and research and (xii) unallocated provision for (A) 2001–02, (B) 2002–03, (C) 2003–04, (D) 2004–05 and (E) 2005–06.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 6 February 2003
	The departmental expenditure limits for the resource and capital budgets for the Department for Culture Media and Sport for 2001–02 and projections to 2003–04 are set out by sector in the table on page 104 and 105 of the 2002 Departmental Report (Cm 5423). Updated information, with plans to 2005–06, will be published in the 2003 Departmental Report in the spring.

Greater London Assembly

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial assistance her Department gave to the Greater London Assembly in 2002; and for what projects.

Kim Howells: In 2002–03 my Department made a tourism grant of £1.9 million to the Greater London Authority for the promotion of London to tourists (as a destination in its own right and as a gateway to the rest of the UK) and for the improvement of tourism amenities and facilities.

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times since 2001 she has taken flights on departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied her on each trip.

Kim Howells: The information requested is given in the following table:
	
		
			 Date Type Class Accompanied 
		
		
			 July 01 x 2 Government Flights n/a 0 person 
			 Sept 01 Scheduled Business Class 1 person 
			 37894 Scheduled Business Class 1 person 
			 37681 Government Flight n/a 0 person 
			 37803 Government Flight n/a 0 person 
			 Aug 02 x 2 Scheduled Business Class 1 person 
			 Sept 02 Scheduled Business Class 1 person 
			 37623 Scheduled Business Class 1 person 
		
	
	All ministerial travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of Sir Alan Borg's report on the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Kim Howells: The report on the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard was commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. In response to the report, the Dockyard attractions have agreed to adopt an integrated approach to the management of their activities through a new non-charitable company which is expected to be in place by summer 2003. I will place a copy of the report in the Libraries of both Houses.

Premises Licences

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the cost of a premises licence will be the same to a public house whether it chooses to apply only for a licence to sell alcohol or whether it chooses to apply for multiple permissions licence under the Licensing Bill.

Kim Howells: Under the provisions of the Licensing Bill, the cost of an application for a premises licence would remain the same whether a public house applied only for permission to sell alcohol or for multiple permissions including, for instance, the provision of regulated entertainment, including live music.

Public Entertainment Licences

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many premises are covered by the public entertainment licence; and how many more she expects will have to apply for a licence to provide public entertainment under the proposed Licensing Bill.

Kim Howells: The Regulatory Impact Assessment that was published alongside the Licensing Bill states that just over 9,000 on-licensed premises and registered members clubs hold permanent public entertainment licences or certificates of suitability. An estimated 37,000 temporary public entertainment licences are also issued each year.
	Under the provisions of the Bill there will be no separate licence for the provision of public entertainment. Permission to carry on any of the activities licensable under the Bill will be covered by a single premises licence. It will cost no more, in terms of time or money, to apply for a licence permitting the sale of alcohol and the provision of entertainment than it would to apply for one permitting the sale of alcohol only. The Government expect that the removal of the cost deterrent in applying for permission to provide entertainment, along with the provision of a less bureaucratic system and measures to prevent unnecessary conditions being attached to licences by licensing authorities, will encourage many more premises to take the opportunity to provide public entertainment.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many statutory instruments were issued by the National Heritage Department in each year between 1992 and 1997; and how many have been issued by her Department since May 1997.

Kim Howells: The number of Statutory Instruments (including Orders in Council) issued by the Department for National Heritage in each year between 1992 and 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1992 3 
			 1993 16 
			 1994 21 
			 1995 15 
			 1996 21 
			 1997 (up to 30 April) 10 
		
	
	The number of Statutory Instruments (including Orders in Council) issued by the Department 1 in each year since 1 May 1997 are as follows:
	1 The name of the Department changed in August 1997 from the Department for National Heritage to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 19 
			 1998 23 
			 1999 24 
			 2000 18 
			 2001 18 
			 2002 29 
			 2003 2

Television Licences

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners have claimed free television licences in (a) Haltemprice and Howden and (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997.

Kim Howells: Free television licences for the over-75s were introduced in November 2000; no free licences were available prior to that date. TV Licensing, who administer the concession as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 5,900 people aged 75 or over living in the Haltemprice and Howden constituency and 19,500 in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Vehicle Fleets

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made, by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each (i) category of vehicle, (ii) type of power unit and (iii) type of fuel, on an annual basis, over each of the past three years, in renewal of her Department's and agencies' vehicle fleet on a lower emission basis.

Kim Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have a vehicle fleet. Ministerial and official cars are supplied, with driver, as required by the Government Car and Despatch Service. The Royal Parks Agency vehicle fleet has used 'green' fuels for some years. Over the last three years, the Agency has converted or acquired vehicles which are duel fuelled, liquefied petroleum gas/petrol. Of a 42 vehicle fleet, 30 (cars, vans and minibuses) are duel fuel, eight (4x4s, horsebox) are diesel and four (motorcycles) are petrol.

Vehicle Fleets

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual rate is at which her Department has renewed its vehicle fleet by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each (i) category of vehicle, (ii) type of power unit and (iii) type of fuel over the last three years.

Kim Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have a vehicle fleet. Ministerial and official cars are supplied, with driver, as required by the Government Car and Despatch Service.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Beta-interferon

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when Beta-Interferon will be available for sufferers of multiple sclerosis in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Lady to my answer of 3 February 2003, Official Report, column 114W.

Corporal Punishment

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the office of Law Reform in the Department of Finance and Personnel to have completed its analysis of the responses to the public consultation on "Physical Punishment in the Home-Thinking about the Issues, Looking at the Evidence".

Ian Pearson: I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 377W.

Departmental Underspending

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are being taken to deal with departmental underspends; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Lagan Valley (Mr. Donaldson) on 13 January 2003, Official Report, column 426W).

Dysphasia

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people have been diagnosed with dysphasia in the last five years in each of the Education and Library Board areas.

Des Browne: The information requested is not available.

Fair Employment Tribunals

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints have been made to Fair Employment Tribunals in each of the past three years; and what percentage in each year were settled or withdrawn before the case reached tribunal hearing.

Jane Kennedy: The information for the last three years is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Year Total complaints Percentage of which were withdrawn or settled before full tribunal hearing1 
		
		
			 2000 561 30 
			 2001 613 23 
			 2002 481 6 
		
	
	(31) The information relates to complaints withdrawn or settled before progressing to a full hearing. In a number of cases some preliminary hearings or hearings of directions will have taken place.

Giant's Causeway

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future development of the Giant's Causeway.

Angela Smith: The Giant's Causeway has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in recognition of its international importance to the conservation of geological features. It is one of only three natural World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom.
	World Heritage Sites are places or buildings of outstanding heritage value and, accordingly, the Department of the Environment attaches great importance to their protection for the benefit of future generations as well as our own. Planning policies for the protection of World Heritage Sites applicable to the Giant's Causeway are set out in the Planning Policy Statement (PPS 6): Planning, Archaeology and the Built Heritage. I believe that these policies are proving effective in protecting the Causeway and its immediate vicinity. Development proposals affecting the Giant's Causeway and its setting are carefully scrutinised in order to determine the impact on critical views of and from the site, access and public approaches to the site, and its appreciation and enjoyment by visitors.
	The Department is reviewing the planning policy framework for the Giant's Causeway and its setting. The Department's Environment and Heritage Service is preparing management plans for the Causeway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the World Heritage Site. The Planning Service is preparing a new statutory development plan for the Northern Area which involves the Giant's Causeway. The draft development plan will be published in the autumn of 2003.
	I am of course aware that the Moyle District Council has recently resolved to proceed to rebuild that portion of the visitor centre that was destroyed by fire in 2000. My colleague, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, South (Mr. Pearson) is currently engaged in a series of meetings with key interests in relation to the interpretation of the World Heritage Site. He and I are determined to find the best way to achieve this.

Health Care Staff (Impersonation)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents where individuals were discovered in hospitals in Northern Ireland pretending to be health care staff there have been in the last three years.

Des Browne: No such incidents have been reported.

Housing

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will amend the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum of the Draft Housing (NI) Order to reflect the concerns of the Northern Ireland Assembly's Social Development Committee in terms of (a) introductory tenancies, (b) large scale voluntary transfers, (c) homelessness, (d) new build and (e) anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: No. The purpose of the Explanatory Memorandum is to give a broad explanation of the provisions included in the Order and no amendment is required.

Maternity Provision (Belfast)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the costs were of publishing and posting the November 2002 consultation document, "A New Centralised Maternity Hospital for Belfast".

Des Browne: The cost of designing and printing the consultation document "A New Centralised Maternity Hospital for Belfast", published in November 2002, was £10,455.
	The publication was posted to a wide range of organisations and individuals at a cost of £9,230. A number of copies were distributed by courier at a cost of £48.

Mental Health

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in improving the treatment of mental health patients in each Board area.

Des Browne: This information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mental Health

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in each Board area are suffering from mental health problems.

Des Browne: Information on the total number of people suffering from mental health problems is not available, as many people with such problems are not in contact with healthcare providers. However, at 31 March 2002 there were 12,605 people in the Mental Health Programme of Care who were in contact with Social Services. These people are likely to be those with the more severe forms of mental health problems. The breakdown by Health and Social Services Board area is shown in the following table. The figures refer to people with mental illness and exclude those with dementia or learning disability.
	
		
			 Health and Social Services Board People in contact with Social Services 
		
		
			 Eastern 4,857 
			 Northern 3,192 
			 Southern 2,199 
			 Western 2,357 
			 Northern Ireland 12,605

Mental Health

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the mental health budget in each health board area is spent on (a) staff, (b) property and (c) care.

Des Browne: The Health and Social Services Boards reported expenditure in total of some £128 million in 2001–02 on the care of people with mental illness. This can be analysed by Health and Social Services Boards as follows:
	
		£000s
		
			 Board Total spend 2001–02 
		
		
			 EHSSB 52.0 
			 NHSSB 28.3 
			 WHSSB 25.2 
			 SHSSB 22.8 
			   
			 Total 128.3 
		
	
	No break down is available centrally of the amount spent specifically on staff, property and direct care within these overall totals.

Northern Ireland Cancer Plan

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on plans to bring forward a Northern Ireland Cancer Plan.

Des Browne: The Campbell Report "Cancer Services—Investing for the Future" provides the core plan for the development of cancer services in Northern Ireland. The Department's cancer strategy is underpinned by the wider public health strategy, including Investing for Health, the Palliative Care Report and separate initiatives on screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer.

Nursing

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nurses in each Board area have left the health service in each of the last two years.

Des Browne: The information requested is detailed in the following tables.
	Figures in the following tables relate to nursing staff (including midwives) in each Health and Social Services Board that have left the health service in the last two years—leavers are defined as those who were in employment at the start of the year but who weren't in employment in the NI Health and Personal Social Services at the end of the year.
	
		Nursing leavers between September 2000 and September 2001
		
			 Board Headcount WTE(32) 
		
		
			 Eastern Board 488 411.88 
			 Northern Board 137 113.21 
			 Southern Board 119 97.82 
			 Western Board 126 111.49 
			 Total 870 734.40 
		
	
	(32) Whole time equivalent
	
		Nursing leavers between September 2001 and September 2002
		
			 Board Headcount WTE(33) 
		
		
			 Eastern Board 594 516.74 
			 Northern Board 126 105.75 
			 Southern Board 141 118.49 
			 Western Board 116 102.93 
			 Total 977 843.91 
		
	
	(33) Whole time equivalent

Organ Retention (Royal Victoria Hospital)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision has been made to assist relatives to deal psychologically with recent revelations of organ retention at the Royal Victoria hospital.

Des Browne: The Clinical Psychology Department of the Royal Group of Hospitals allocated resources to run a dedicated telephone enquiry line. Those in need of psychological support were identified and clinical psychology staff made themselves available to set up and attend meetings between families and hospital staff. Following the establishment of the DHSSPS Human Organs Enquiry Line on 20 November 2002, the enquiry line at the Royal was closed. Callers to the DHSSPS enquiry line are made aware that psychological support is available.

Organ Retrieval (Royal Victoria Hospital)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedure is to be followed by relatives who wish to retrieve organs retained by (a) the Royal Victoria Hospital and (b) the Coroner; and what avenues are open to relatives if their request is denied.

Des Browne: Relatives wishing to make inquiries about the retrieval of retained organs should contact the DHSSPS human organs inquiry line on 08088008810. The enquiry line operator will then liaise with the relevant acute hospital trust or state pathology department as appropriate.
	The Royal group of hospitals has a general policy that all organs reclaimed by relatives will be returned.
	If a request to return organs is denied by the Coroner the decision cannot be appealed, except that all legal decisions can be challenged in the courts by way of judicial review.

Physiotherapy

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will increase resources available for the recruitment of physiotherapists; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The budget for 2003–04 will enable the Health and Personal Social Services to maintain and improve a range of services. It is a matter for Boards, Trusts and other bodies concerned to agree on the detailed level of service provision, including any associated recruitment of staff.

Physiotherapy

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on recruitment patterns of physiotherapists in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: The recruitment of staff, including physiotherapists, is a matter for individual Health and Social Services Trusts taking into account factors such as service needs and available resources.

Post-Mortems

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many post mortems have been conducted in Northern Ireland in each of the last three decades.

Des Browne: The Chief Medical Officer's Report on Organ Retention, "The Investigation into Retained Organs", published in May 2001, records that between 1970 and 2000 a total of 49,310 post mortems were carried out in Northern Ireland. A further breakdown of these figures in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Post-Mortems

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under what circumstances a post mortem can be conducted on a child without the consent of the parents.

Des Browne: Under Section 28 of the Coroners' Act (NI) 1959 the Coroner has the power to order a post mortem without the need for consent from the parent or legal guardian. All hospital post mortems carried out on children require the consent of those with parental responsibility.

Pre-school Education

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether children in their immediate pre-school year will be offered funding through the Pre School Education Advisory Group scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The objective of the Pre-school Education Expansion Programme, which is planned and delivered by a Pre-school Education Advisory Group in each education and library board area, is to provide a year of funded pre-school education for every child in Northern Ireland whose parents wish it. This is achieved through the funding of places in pre-school settings which meet the Programme's quality standards. In order to give parents a choice of pre-school setting, funded places are available both in statutory nursery schools and units and in some 400 voluntary and private playgroups.
	Parental demand for funded places is estimated at up to 90 per cent. of the immediate pre-school year group, but factors such as the geographical distribution of places may involve a level of provision slightly in excess of that. The number of places funded by the Department of Education has increased from 11,100 in 1997 to 21,600 in this school year, representing an increase in coverage from 45 per cent. to an estimated 92 per cent. of the immediate pre-school year group.

Pre-school Education

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated to each of the Education and Library Boards for pre school education for 2003–04

Jane Kennedy: No specific allocations are made to Education and Library Boards for the core funding of pre-school education. The relative levels of initial funding for 2003–04 for pre-school education will not be known until Resource Allocation Plans are drawn up by each board and approved by the Department of Education. However, the following earmarked allocations have been made to the respective boards as part of the Pre-school Education Expansion Programme for 2003–04.
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 BELB 720 
			 WELB 1,593 
			 NEELB 2,007 
			 SEELB 1,676 
			 SELB 1,858 
		
	
	These amounts represent the recurrent funding for each board in respect of: places funded in voluntary and private sector playgroups and in new statutory nursery schools and units opened between the 2002 and 2003 school censuses; the costs of furnishing and equipping new nursery schools and units opening during the 2003–04 financial year; and administration and publicity costs.

Pre-school Places

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time pre-school places are funded under the NI Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity, Measure 4, Investing in Early Learning in Northern Ireland in (i) controlled, (ii) maintained and (iii) grant-maintained integrated schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: A total of 11.34 million Euros (of which 8 million Euros is the EU contribution) is available to the Department of Education under Measure 3.4 of the European Union's Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme for securing the building of controlled, maintained, integrated and Irish-medium pre-school education facilities in local communities. The Measure will allow the Department to reclaim capital expenditure on a programme of nursery units, either built or to be built. The programme must, however, go through the application and selection procedure required by the EU. This procedure has not yet been concluded, and at this stage it is not possible to attribute the establishment of any units to Measure 3.4.
	To date, however, 33 of the units for which the Department expects to reclaim the EU contribution have opened. These are providing places for 1,326 children in total702 in controlled schools (26 full-time, 676 part-time), 494 in maintained (130 full-time, 364 part-time), 78 in integrated (26 full-time, 52 part-time) and 52 in Irish medium (all part-time).

TK-ECC

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to assist TK-ECC and its workforce as a result of the announcement of redundancies at its Dundonald plant.

Ian Pearson: TK-ECC at Dundonald is facing a decision about making reductions to its workforce by up to 300 jobs. This is a commercial decision, forced on a company which is in a commodity market where margins are continually tight. Invest NI has been working with the company to help it achieve efficiencies and operational improvements. A competitiveness assessment has been undertaken to identify areas requiring development and improvement and Invest NI has offered assistance for a consultancy assignment aimed at improving the factory layout, production and materials handling processes.
	Regional staff of the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) have already been in contact with the company to discuss the services DEL can provide to support any employees who might be affected should the company be forced to implement staff reductions. While appreciating the early offer of help, the company has decided to defer detailed discussions with DEL regional staff until a decision has been made on the timing of any actual reductions which may take place and how they may be implemented.

Ulster Hospital

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the situation at the Ulster hospital, with special reference to bed capacity, trolley waits, delayed discharges and the level of funding of the hospital from the 1990s.

Des Browne: The recent pressures at the Ulster hospital have exceeded the available bed capacity and have resulted in some patients having to wait on trolleys before a bed becomes available. The staff at the hospital have responded with great commitment and have tried to minimise the impact of these pressures.
	A number of actions are being taken to provide a resolution to the underlying problems. There is a very significant expansion and redevelopment scheme under way at the Ulster hospital, which will increase bed capacity and improve acute services in the area. This has included the provision of 20 extra acute beds, which were opened in December 2002.
	The Trust is continuing in its efforts to minimise the number of delayed discharges, and the hospital discharge team has been successful in resettling a number of patients on a fast-track basis to community care accommodation. In order to free beds for acute admissions, the Trust also utilises beds in the Ards and Bangor community hospitals for suitable patients.
	The Trust is also working closely with the Eastern Health and Social Services Board and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, on a Service Improvement Project, which aims to improve throughput and maximise the use of bed capacity at the Ulster hospital.
	With regard to resources, the level of funding for the Trust has increased from 48 million in 199394 to 144 million in 200102.

WALES

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times since 2001 he has taken flights on departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied him on each trip.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

Strategic Rail Authority

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what representations he has made to the Strategic Rail Authority in relation to the maintenance of rail services within the Wales and Borders franchise; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary and I have had discussions with SRA representatives about a number of issues, including the new Wales and Borders franchise.
	The Authority have made it clear that they will not consider any franchise proposals that suggest a closure of routes in Wales.

Students (National Assembly)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  if he will establish an inquiry into leaks to media concerning the question of further devolution of powers with regard to tuition fees and maintenance grants to the National Assembly for Wales;
	(2)  if he has established whether the press were in possession of information on the question of further devolution of powers with regard to tuition fees and maintenance grants to the National Assembly for Wales in advance of contacting his Press Office.

Peter Hain: No.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Legal Services Commission

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many Legal Services Commission practices were issued in (a) 2000 and (b) 2002.

Rosie Winterton: I believe the hon. Member is referring to the number of contracts issued by the Legal Services Commission during 2000 and 2002. The number for both civil and criminal contracts are recorded.
	The Legal Services Commission introduced contracting for civil legal aid from January 2000. On 1 January 2000, 5,012 general civil contracts were issued. A further 330 general civil contracts were issued during the rest of that year.
	In 2002, 213 additional contracts were issued.
	The Commission introduced contracting for criminal legal aid from April 2001. In 2001, 3,055 general criminal contracts were issued.
	In 2002, a further 141 contracts were issued.

Publicity and Advertising

David Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much (a) her Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by her Department spent on (i) publicity and (ii) advertising in each year from 199596 to 200203 (estimated); and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested, and available without disproportionate cost, is set out in the table. The increased spend on advertising and publicity by the Lord Chancellor's core Department in 200002 was mainly accounted for by a public information campaign about the services of the new Community Legal Service, which was launched in April 2000.
	
		Lord Chancellor's Departments' Spending on Advertising and Publicity, 199596 to 200203 -- 
		
			  Advertising Publicity  
		
		
			 199596  
			 Lord Chancellor's Department   
			 Court Service 0 0 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 0 13,180 
			 Public Guardianship Office 0 0 
			 Public Record Office 175 14,660 
			 HM Land Registry 9,795 60,400 
			   
			 199697   
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 0 11,600 
			 Court Service 0 0 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 0 13,730 
			 Public Guardianship Office 0 0 
			 Public Record Office 1,270 35,950 
			 HM Land Registry 11,800 78,650 
			 199798   
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 136,730 6,000 
			 Court Service 0 36,950 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 0 14,670 
			 Public Guardianship Office 0 66,900 
			 Public Record Office 4,065 46,840 
			 HM Land Registry 12,365 163,100 
			  
			 199899   
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 422,000 399,300 
			 Court Service 5,000 136,000 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 0 15,140 
			 Public Guardianship Office 0 70,200 
			 Public Record Office 7,150 38,000 
			 HM Land Registry 9,000 84,775 
			  
			 19992000   
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 0 235,410 
			 Court Service 18,180 33,140 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 0 110,865 
			 Public Guardianship Office 0 78,900 
			 Public Record Office 2,600 115,500 
			 HM Land Registry 13,385 158,790 
			  
			 200001   
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 4,179,300 1,347,600 
			 Court Service 42,500 27,650 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 4,680 38,460 
			 Public Guardianship Office 0 70,600 
			 Public Record Office 8,730 62,250 
			 HM Land Registry 2,445 60,900 
			  
			 200102   
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 0 694,345 
			 Court Service 0 212,700 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 0 27,880 
			 Public Guardianship Office 0 68,760 
			 Public Record Office 5,250 61,900 
			 HM Land Registry 0 140,000 
			  
			 200203forecast   
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 15,800 835,575 
			 Court Service 31,450 37,420 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 0 0 
			 Public Guardianship Office 0 0 
			 Public Record Office 4,535 63,250 
			 HM Land Registry 14,000 154,000

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the reconstruction programme in Afghanistan.

Clare Short: I have been asked to reply.
	Substantial progress has been made since November 2001. The effectiveness of the reconstruction programme has depended on joint efforts by the UN, the international community, the private sector, NGO's and the Government.
	The Transitional Administration has set out a National Development Framework for Afghanistan and the Ministry of Finance and Central bank have rebuilt the central financial systems of government and have started to collect domestic revenues. 3 million children have returned to school. 4.5 million are expected to attend in the new school year, starting at the end of March. The major Kabul-Kandahar-Herat road, Kabul-Jalalabad road, and Pakistan border to Jalalabad road are being refurbished. The World bank is supporting the rebuilding of Kabul power station and airport.
	However, much more remains to be done. Effective development in Afghanistan requires greater security in the provinces, strengthened capacity of the Transitional Administration and the continued commitment of the international community. The forthcoming Development Forum meeting of donors and the Transitional Administration in Kabul in March will discuss next steps in implementing the Government's National Development Framework.

Al-Qaeda Radio Stations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether al-Qaeda radio stations operate from inside Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Al Qaeda operatives communicate in a variety of clandestine ways. We are not aware of any Al Qaeda radio stations in Afghanistan.

Botswana

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to provide assistance to the Government of Botswana in dealing with the flow of illegal immigrants entering the country from Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: None. The Government of Botswana have sought no assistance from us. We will consider any requests sympathetically.

Burma

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sanctions have been imposed by the EU against members of the Burmese Government; whether persons who are subject to sanctions can enter the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The EU visa ban is targeted towards Senior Members of the Burmese State Peace and Development Council, senior members of the military and security forces who formulate, implement or benefit from policies that impede Burma's transition to democracy, senior Burmese tourism officials and the family members of all the categories listed above.
	People covered by the ban are not allowed to enter the EU unless they are visiting the EU for the sole purposes of attending United Nations' events. In the case of the Burmese Foreign Minister, there is also provision for a visa to be issued when, by the agreement of all member states, the visit is deemed to be in the interests of the European Union.

Burma

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which members of the Burmese Government are subject to EU sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The EU Common Position visa ban and asset freeze is targeted on Senior Members of the Burmese State Peace and Development Council, senior members of the military and security forces who formulate, implement or benefit from policies that impede Burma's transition to democracy, senior Burmese tourism officials and the family members of all the categories listed above. It is reviewed and updated regularly, most recently in October 2002.

Burma

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of EU sanctions in promoting human rights in Burma.

Mike O'Brien: The EU Common Position contains an arms embargo, a ban on EU high-level visits to Burma, a ban on defence links, a ban on the sale of items that can be used for repression or torture, a ban on non-humanitarian assistance and a visa ban and asset freeze on senior members of the regime and armed forces. In addition the European Community suspended Burma's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) trading privileges in response to the use of forced labour and HMG does not encourage trade, investment or tourism with Burma.
	All these measures are designed to press the Burmese regime and those who support and benefit from its misrule to allow progress to be made to bring about national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma. UK pressure will be maintained until Burma is irreversibly committed to substantive, lasting political change.

Burma

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister, who attended the EU-ASEAN meeting in Brussels on 27 and 28 January, was subject to EU sanctions; what representations his Department made to EU partners on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The EU visa ban applies to senior members of the Burmese State Peace and Development Council. The Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister, U Khin Maung Win, is a Vice-Minister, not a full Minister, and is therefore not subject to the ban.

Burma

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has collated on improvements in human rights in Burma between January 2002 and January 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The overall human rights situation in Burma remains extremely poor and a matter of grave concern.
	There were some very modest improvements in limited areas of human rights in Burma between January 2002 and January 2003, such as the release of political prisonersover 200 in this period, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and some cooperation between the Burmese regime, the United Nations and certain international non-governmental organisations.
	However, these limited improvements do not provide any assurance that the Burmese regime is now committed to substantively improving its human rights record or ending the violence and abuses in the ethnic minority areas of Burma. And since autumn 2002 there has been increasing reports of fresh restrictions of freedom of expression and politically inspired detentions and arrests in Burma.

Burma

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to seek the improvement of human rights in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The EU Common Position is designed to encourage national reconciliation respect for human rights and democracy in Burma. The UK annually co-sponsors resolutions on the human rights situation in Burma at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and the UN Commission on Human Rights. On 20 January, the UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations made a statement in the UN that included expressing concern at the use of child soldiers in Burma. We are active in the International Labour Organisation to seek to press for the end of forced labour in Burma. We also use bilateral and multilateral events to press for rapid and sustained improvements in Burma's human rights record.

Burma

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department have had with ASEAN nations regarding the promotion of human rights in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: We take advantage of our regular bilateral and multilateral contacts with all ASEAN nations to press for an improvement in Burma's human rights record. Most recently on 27 January my right hon. the Foreign Secretary stressed to ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Brussels the need for all countries to encourage national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma.

Cayman Islands

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for British legal links with the Cayman Islands of the collapse of the Eurobank case; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 28 February 2003
	None. The legal relationship remains unchanged as set out in the Cayman Island Constitution.

Cayman Islands

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the conduct of the UK security services in the issues which caused the collapse of the Eurobank case in the Cayman Islands; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 28 January 2003
	It is not the policy of HMG to comment on the activities of the UK security services, which are outside the scope of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (paragraph 6, part 1).

Cayman Islands

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) the Eurobank case and (b) relations with the Government of the Cayman Islands.

Mike O'Brien: The Eurobank case was brought to trial on the basis of serious money laundering charges. The trial came to an end when the Attorney General decided to offer no further evidence. The Chief Justice then directed the jury to find the four defendants not-guilty on each of the six charges.
	Our aim, with the Cayman Islands authorities, has been to take action against allegations of money laundering. This objective should enjoy widespread support in the Cayman Islands if its reputation as a well-regulated and reputable financial centre is to be preserved.
	My noble Friend Baroness Amos, Overseas Territories Minister, has been in regular touch (both by letter and telephone) with the Leader of Government Business in the Cayman Islands to discuss the issues raised. She plans to visit Grand Cayman as part of a long-planned Caribbean trip in mid-February.

Eurobank

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what costs have been incurred by his Department's budget from the collapse of the Eurobank case; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer of 30 January 2003
	None, apart from the travel and subsistence costs of the FCO's Deputy Legal Adviser, currently in the Cayman Islands, which will fall to the Department. He visited after the court had announced a decision.

Falklands Visit

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the visit by HM Ambassador to Argentina to Port Stanley was announced; whom he met; what discussions were held on what topics; and what reasons underlay the terms of the press conference with local journalists.

Jack Straw: Our Ambassador to Argentina, Sir Robin Christopher, visited the Falkland Islands on his way back to Buenos Aires following leave in the UK. His main purpose was to brief Island Councillors and the Governor on Argentina and to discuss planning for the construction of the proposed memorial to the Argentine fallen at the Darwin cemetery, as envisaged in the Joint Agreement of July 1999.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the cost in US dollars of administrating Iraq in the event of regime change following war in Iraq;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the cost in US dollars of administering Iraq in each of the first 10 years following any possible regime change.

Mike O'Brien: No decision has been made to take military action against Iraq. Since we cannot know in advance the circumstances of a post-Saddam Iraq, we are not in a position to estimate accurately Iraq's possible requirements, whether financial or material.

Iraq

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will list those contracts for supply of medical equipment and products to Iraq which have been vetoed by (a) member states of the UN Security Council and (b) the UN Security Council since imposition of sanctions;
	(2)  if he will list the nature and value of contracts for the supply of medical equipment and products to Iraq which have been permitted to take place from UK companies since the imposition of sanctions.

Mike O'Brien: This question could be answered comprehensively only by researching United Nations records for the last 12 years, which could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	As part of our policy to do all we can to improve the humanitarian situation of the Iraqi people, the UK has rejected contracts for exports to Iraq only where there is serious concern about their potential use in Iraq's military or weapons of mass destruction programmes. The Iraqi regime meanwhile continues to hamper the humanitarian programme, cutting its medical sector funding in 2002 by 75 per cent. and diverting to military use trucks supplied under the programme for delivering humanitarian goods inside Iraq.

Iraq

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a revised version of the UK Dossier on Iraq of September 2002.

Mike O'Brien: There are no plans at present for the publication of a revision of the September dossier.

Iraq

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UN inspectors were present in Iraq in each year between 1991 and 1998; and which (a) weapons of mass destruction, (b) their precursors and (c) missile delivery systems were destroyed in each of those years.

Mike O'Brien: The numbers of inspectors on the ground in Iraq constantly varied during the period in question. As a general rule, there was an average of 80 inspectors in country at any given time.
	Details of UNSCOM's activities in Iraq are available on the UN internet site at www.un.org/depts/unmovic.

Language Courses

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what language courses are offered by his Department to staff being posted overseas; and what the cost of these programmes has been in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: The amount of language training offered to staff posted overseas depends on the nature of the job to which they are posted. For those posted to a job which requires them to be able to speak a language to a certain level, they will receive the training necessary to reach the appropriate level. This can vary from a few months for basic training in the more straightforward European languages such as French or Spanish to up to two years for the hard languages like Arabic, Chinese or Japanese. For staff whose job overseas does not require them to be able to speak the local language, 100 hours language training is available to enable them to cope with the basic needs of everyday living. This 100 hours is also offered to spouses and partners.
	The cost of this language training for each of the years since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			 Year  
		
		
			 199798 1,967,196 
			 199899 2,262,308 
			 19992000 2,255,815 
			 200001 2,322,356 
			 200102 2,347,896 
			 200203 2,519,883

Osama bin Laden

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from intelligence sources concerning progress made towards the apprehension of Osama bin Laden; and what evidence he has collated that Osama bin Laden is alive.

Mike O'Brien: We have received a number of reports concerning Osama bin Laden. It is the practice of successive Governments not to comment on intelligence matters. The Security and Intelligence Agencies are outside the scope of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Paragraph 6, Part I).

Palestine (British Citizens)

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department will take measures to increase the safety of British citizens in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the safety of international humanitarian workers in the Middle East.

Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to our current Travel Advice for Israel and the Occupied Territories which includes a section on safety/humanitarian experts (www.fco.gov.uk).

Staff Vacancies

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what staffing vacancies there are in (a) the sections of his Department dealing with Eastern Europe and the applicant states and (b) in the respective British embassies.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no current vacancies in the sections of the Department which deals with Eastern Europe and the applicant states. There are three vacancies in the respective embassies, namely:
	Bucharest, Second Secretary Politicalofficer preparing to go out.
	Moscow, Entry Clearance Officerofficer preparing to go out.
	Tirana, Deputy Head of Missionofficer preparing to go out.

Staff Vacancies

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what staffing vacancies there are in (a) sections of his Department dealing with the European Union and (b) in the relevant embassies.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has one current staffing vacancy in the section of the Department which deals with the European Union. There are three in our Embassies in the European Union. The vacancies are:
	Brussels, Embassy Registry Officerto be selected shortly.
	European Union Department (External), Twinning Officerseeking candidate.
	The Hague, Second Secretary Politicalofficer preparing to go out.
	Madrid, HM Ambassadorofficer preparing to go out.

Telephone Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many telephone helplines are sponsored by his Department; and which of these helplines are charged at (a) national rate, (b) premium rate and (c) local rate.

Bill Rammell: The FCO will operate one national rate helpline once the Interactive Voice Recognition system for Consular Travel Advice is operational.

Temporary Promotions

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what proportion of civil servants based in (a) embassies and (b) the sections of his Department dealing with the European Union are on temporary promotion.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has six civil servants in our Embassies and 12 in the sections of my Department who deal with the European Union who are on temporary promotion. These represent 2 per cent. and 12 per cent. of the totals respectively.

Temporary Promotions

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what proportion of civil servants based in (a) embassies and (b) the sections of his Department dealing with Eastern Europe and the applicant states are on temporary promotion.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has eight civil servants in our embassies and seven in the sections of my Departments dealing with Eastern Europe and applicant states who are on temporary promotion. These represent 3 per cent. and 10 per cent. of the totals respectively.

Venezuela

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the unrest in Venezuela;
	(2)  what impact the unrest in Venezuela has had on trade between the United Kingdom and Venezuela.

Bill Rammell: We are following developments closely. In our regular contacts with the government and opposition we have stressed the importance of respect for the constitution and democratic principles, and supported the efforts of the Organisation of American States (OAS) to resolve the crisis.
	We welcome the recent easing of tension and resumption of economic activity. Venezuelan ports closed since the beginning of December have reopened.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the impact that illegal immigrants crossing the border from Zimbabwe may have upon (a) the economy and (b) HIV/AIDS levels in Botswana; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Formal assessment of impact is a matter for the Government of Botswana. But we know that illegal immigration from Zimbabwe is placing an increasing strain on government services in Botswana.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Transport and Social Exclusion Report

Mark Todd: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Social Exclusion Unit will publish its report on Transport and Social Exclusion; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Roche: The unit published an interim report on transport and social exclusion in May 2002.
	The unit's final report will be published shortly.

Community Plan

Harry Cohen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to publish his community plan; and what topics he expects it to cover.

Tony McNulty: The Communities Plan was published on 5 February. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Gloucestershire County Council

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the reasons for the reduction in the grant for 200304 to Gloucestershire County Council; what notice he gave to that authority of the change; and what discussions he plans to have with Gloucestershire County Council on the implications of the reduction of its grant.

Nick Raynsford: In 200304 Gloucestershire County Council will receive a grant increase of 20.5 million or 7.1 per cent. This is 0.4 million less than the figure announced at the provisional settlement. The reason for the change is that, as is the case every year and as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister made clear in the formal consultation letter sent to all authorities at the time of the December announcement, the calculations for the final settlement use more up-to-date data than are available for the provisional settlement. Local authorities and the LGA know that the consequence of using updated data is that there are always changes in grant allocations between provisional and final settlement. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will explain the changes as they affect Gloucestershire to the council should they so wish.

Housing (Right to Buy)

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total value of discounts provided under the Right to Buy scheme was in each year since 1980.

Tony McNulty: The total value of discounts on local authority sales into owner-occupation, including Right to Buy, in England since 198081 is presented below, along with the number and market value of properties purchased, expressed in real cost terms at 200102 prices.
	
		Local authority dwelling sales into owner occupationEngland
		
			  of which: 
			  All sales for owner occupation Sales under RTB 
			  All sales (number) Market value( million) Discount allowed ( million) RTB sales (number) Market value( million) Discount allowed ( million) 
		
		
			 198081 68,200 2,680 1,040 2,300 n/a n/a 
			 198182 128,200 4,907 2,074 105,200 n/a n/a 
			 198283 181,200 6,551 2,774 167,100 n/a n/a 
			 198384 119,000 4,620 1,930 106,300 n/a n/a 
			 198485 91,400 3,838 1,687 77,500 n/a n/a 
			 Five year total 588,000 22,596 9,505 458,400   
			 Five year average 117,600 4,519 1,901 91,700   
			
			 198586 82,300 3,615 1,661 72,100 n/a n/a 
			 198687 85,300 4,115 1,909 76,700 n/a n/a 
			 198788 103,400 5,445 2,575 93,700 n/a n/a 
			 198889 144,600 8,349 4,149 135,700 n/a n/a 
			 198990 141,800 8,136 4,145 133,800 n/a n/a 
			 Five year total 557,500 29,660 14,440 512,100   
			 Five year average 111,500 5,932 2,888 102,400   
			
			 199091 81,200 4,656 2,440 76,300 n/a n/a 
			 199192 53,900 2,898 1,491 48,300 n/a n/a 
			 199293 42,100 2,149 1,096 37,700 n/a n/a 
			 199394 50,300 2,480 1,231 44,700 n/a n/a 
			 199495 46,200 2,268 1,128 43,300 2,163 1,091 
			 Five year total 273,800 14,450 7,386 250,300   
			 Five year average 54,800 2,890 1,477 50,100   
			
			 199596 33,200 1,558 773 31,500 1,504 760 
			 199697 35,200 1,607 774 33,200 1,537 765 
			 199798 42,100 1,998 980 41,300 1,954 973 
			 199899 41,100 2,012 1,006 40,300 1,972 999 
			 19992000 55,000 2,845 1,367 54,300 2,797 1,358 
			 Five year total 206,500 10,020 4,900 200,600 9,764 4,855 
			 Five year average 41,300 2,004 980 40,100 1,953 971 
			
			 200001 53,000 2,796 1,286 52,400 2,742 1,278 
			 200102(34) 52,500 2,826 1,222 52,000 2,783 1,215 
			
			 Cumulative totals  
			 198081 to 200102 1,731,300 82,348 38,740 1,525,800 n/a n/a 
			 199495 to 200102 358,300 17,909 8,537 348,300 17,452 8,439 
		
	
	(34) Denotes provisional.
	Notes:
	1. Monetary values are expressed in real terms (at 200102 prices, using GDP deflators) to the nearest  million.
	2. Number of sales are presented to the nearest 100.
	Source:
	DOE/DETR/DTLR/ODPM P1B housing activity quarterly returns.

Human Rights Act

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether inspectors of the Audit Commission are given training in the effect of the Human Rights Act 1998 upon their role, with particular reference to Article 6 of the ECHR.

Christopher Leslie: As part of their induction training, all Audit Commission inspectors are made aware of the implications of the Human Rights Act for the principles to be applied when carrying out their work.

Local Government Funding

Gregory Barker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what representations his Department received (a) prior to and (b) since the announcement of the Local Government Finance settlement for East Sussex concerning the treatment of cost of living in the local government funding formula; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he has received from East Sussex County Council concerning the effect that the Local Government Finance settlement will have on (a) education, (b) core services and (c) the level of council tax in the county; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what representations he has received from East Sussex County Council concerning the effect that the Local Government Finance settlement will have on public services in the county.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received two letters from East Sussex County Council in response to the consultation on the Review of Formula Grant Distribution and three letters during consultation on the provisional local government finance settlement 200304. East Sussex were also able to make representations on our proposals at a meeting with my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green. These raised a number of issues including the implications of our proposals for education, core services, the level of council tax in the county and the consequences for public services. The cost of living and the level of the County's GDP were also raised. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister considered carefully all the comments made alongside all others as we took final decisions on the settlement.

Local Government Funding

Gregory Barker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average local government finance settlement for 200304 is for county councils; and how much each county council is to receive.

Nick Raynsford: The table shows the adjusted 2002003 grant, the 200304 grant, the change in grant and the percentage change in grant for (i) county councils, (ii) total county councils and (iii) the average for county councils.
	
		 million
		
			 Local authority Adjusted 200203 Grant 200304 Grant Change Percentage change 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 209,784 224,590 14,806 7.1 
			 Buckinghamshire 233,998 249,072 15,074 6.4 
			 Cambridgeshire 265,525 288,141 22,615 8.5 
			 Cheshire 339,034 365,698 26,664 7.9 
			 Cornwall 282,017 298,191 16,174 5.7 
			 Cumbria 281,052 293,654 12,601 4.5 
			 Derbyshire 397,119 427,956 30,837 7.8 
			 Devon 358,546 373,500 14,954 4.2 
			 Dorset 174,408 181,213 6,805 3.9 
			 Durham 311,778 333,050 21,271 6.8 
			 East Sussex 266,207 276,280 10,073 3.8 
			 Essex 734,306 761,871 27,565 3.8 
			 Gloucestershire 288,776 309,229 20,453 7.1 
			 Hampshire 605,064 627,971 22,907 3.8 
			 Hertfordshire 574,613 597,107 22,495 3.9 
			 Kent 781,352 812,456 31,105 4.0 
			 Lancashire 680,497 712,003 31,506 4.6 
			 Leicestershire 298,556 318,181 19,624 6.6 
			 Lincolnshire 360,893 385,279 24,386 6.8 
			 Norfolk 420,255 446,132 25,878 6.2 
			 North Yorkshire 294,210 309,455 15,245 5.2 
			 Northamptonshire 351,203 380,354 29,151 8.3 
			 Northumberland 182,768 191,953 9,185 5.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 408,973 439,735 30,762 7.5 
			 Oxfordshire 291,955 310,051 18,097 6.2 
			 Shropshire 150,584 158,679 8,094 5.4 
			 Somerset 257,167 274,081 16,913 6.6 
			 Staffordshire 422,817 452,723 29,906 7.1 
			 Suffolk 349,614 370,939 21,325 6.1 
			 Surrey 458,205 481,468 23,263 5.1 
			 Warwickshire 246,921 267,478 20,557 8.3 
			 West Sussex 364,889 379,642 14,753 4.0 
			 Wiltshire 204,417 222,637 18,219 8.9 
			 Worcestershire 257,351 272,811 15,460 6.0 
			  
			 Total shire counties 12,104,854 12,793,577 688,723 5.7 
			  
			 Average shire counties 356,025 376,282 20,257 5.7

Local Government Funding

Francis Maude: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of local government revenues were derived from council tax in each of the past five years.

Christopher Leslie: The proportion of local government revenue expenditure financed from the council tax in the last five years is tabled as follows:
	
		Income from council tax as a percentage of local government spending
		
			 Year Percentage 
		
		
			 199899 25 
			 19992000 25 
			 200001 25 
			 200102(35) 25 
			 200203(36) 26 
		
	
	(35) Provisional figures
	(36) Budgeted figures
	Source:
	199899 to 200102 Revenue Summary Returns. 200203 Budget Estimate Returns.

Local Government Funding

Francis Maude: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of local authorities' budgets were ring-fenced in each of the past five years.

Nick Raynsford: Revenue: The following table shows the percentage of local authorities' budgets that has been ring-fenced for the years 199899 to 200203. It also shows the percentage of government funding to local authorities (Aggregate External Finance, AEF) that has been ring-fenced over this period. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has recently changed the definition of ring-fencing, to better encompass the range of grants that have been developed. The key distinction remains between grants that attempt to control spending by the local authority, and those that do not. The full definitions are contained in the Freedoms and Flexibilities for Local Government announcement published on 26 November. The following table uses the new definitions. On the old definitions ring fencing in 200203 would be 14.8 per cent. of AEF and 11.1 per cent. of budgets.
	Government are committed to keeping ring fencing to the minimum necessary. On current plans, the rising trend shown in the table will be reversed and fall below 10 per cent. by 200506.
	
		
			  199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 Percentage of AEF 3.9 4.9 6.5 7.4 12.5 
			 Percentage of budget 3.7 4.1 5.6 7.3 9.8 
		
	
	The 26 November Freedoms and Flexibilities announcement detailed the further freedoms from ring-fencing for high performing councils.

Parliamentary Constituencies Act

Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will amend schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 to make the Electoral Quota a fixed number and not recalculated at each periodical review.

Christopher Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to amend schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act, which in any event, would not be appropriate while the Boundary Commissions are engaged in the fifth general review of parliamentary constituencies. This will not be complete until late 2006.

Regional Bodies

Andrew Selous: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the locations of the offices of regional bodies and agencies, in the Eastern region for which his Department is responsible, broken down by county.

Christopher Leslie: The following table shows the locations of regional bodies and agencies in the East of England for which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible by county:
	
		
			 Name of organisation Address Town County 
		
		
			 Fire and Rescue Service Southfields Road, Kempston Bedford Bedfordshire 
			 Health and Safety Executive 14 Cardiff Road Luton Bedfordshire 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency Millbrook Proving Ground, Millbrook, Nr Amptill Bedford Bedfordshire 
			 Valuation Office Agency Chaddesley House, 12a Lime Street Bedford Bedfordshire 
			 The Rent Service 1st Floor Clody House, 90100 Collingdon Street Luton Bedfordshire 
			 Community Fund 2nd Floor, Elizabeth House, 1 High Street, Chesterton Cambridge Cambridgeshire 
			 Eastern Rent Assessment Panel Great Eastern House, Tenison Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire 
			 Fire and Rescue Service Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters,Hinchingbrooke Cottage, Brampton Road Huntingdon Cambridgeshire 
			 Valuation Office Agency Block A Government Offices, Brooklands Avenue Cambridge Cambridgeshire 
			 Valuation Tribunal Service 3rd Floor, Stuart House, St. Johns Street Peterborough Cambridgeshire 
			 Valuation Office Agency 3rd Floor, Churchgate, New Road Peterborough Cambridgeshire 
			 The Rent Service 1st Floor, 2728 Bridge Street Cambridge Cambridgeshire 
			 Fire and Rescue Service Rayleigh Close, Rayleigh Road, Hutton Brentwood Essex 
			 The Rent Service 1st Floor, St. Mary's House, 90 Victoria Road Chelmsford Essex 
			 Valuation Office Agency East Anglia Group Office, London House, New London Rd Chelmsford Essex 
			 Valuation Office Agency 34 Southway Colchester Essex 
			 Valuation Tribunal Service Sherbourne House, 71 Collingwood Road Witham Essex 
			 Health and Safety Executive 39 Baddow Road Chelmsford Essex 
			 Fire and Rescue Service Old London Road Hertford Hertfordshire 
			 Valuation Office Agency St. Albans Group Office, St. Peters House, 45 Victoria St St. Albans Hertfordshire 
			 Valuation Tribunal Service 6a St. Andrew Street Hertford Hertfordshire 
			 Audit Commission St. Mary's House, Duke Street Norwich Norfolk 
			 Valuation Office Agency Rosebery Court, Central Avenue, St. Andrew's Business Park Norwich Norfolk 
			 Fire and Rescue Service Brigade Headquarters, Whitegates, Hethersett Norwich Norfolk 
			 Valuation Tribunal Service Queens House, Queens Road Norwich Norfolk 
			 Health and Safety Executive Kiln House, Pottergate Norwich Norfolk 
			 The Rent Service 3rd Floor Rouen House, Rouen Road Norwich Norfolk 
			 Audit Commission Springvale Court, Hadleigh Road, Sproughton Ipswich Suffolk 
			 Valuation Office Agency St. Clare House, Greyfriars Ipswich Suffolk 
			 Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Colchester Road Ipswich Suffolk 
			 The Rent Service Adelphi House, Turret Lane Ipswich Suffolk 
			 Valuation Tribunal Service 4648 Westgate Street Ipswich Suffolk 
			 East of England Local GovernmentConference Flempton House, Flempton Bury St Edmunds Suffolk 
			 East of England Regional Assembly Flempton House, Flempton Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

Regional Government

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what has been the annual budget of (a) SEEDA, (b) SEERA and (c) GOSE in each year since their inception.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		Annual budget-running costs --  million
		
			 Year GOSE SEEDA South East England Regional Assembly 
		
		
			 199596 8.3 - - 
			 199697 8.4 - - 
			 199798 8.5 - - 
			 199899 8.6 (37)0 - 
			 19992000 8.7 5.2 0.3 
			 200001 9.0 6.3 0.4 
			 200102 9.7 7.1 1.0 
			 200203 10.8 (38)11.2 1.3 
		
	
	(37) Set up costs incurred by GOSE and therefore came out of GOSE budgets
	(38) Forecast spend from single capital pot allocation

Social Housing (Preston)

Michael Jack: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the ways in which the proposals in his statement to the House on 5 February on social housing will enable Preston City Council to respond to its backlog of social housing refurbishment.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's statement set out the proposals subsequently published in Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future. This states that local authorities will be able to choose the right approach for additional investment in the stock that they own from the existing three options of: stock transfer; The Private Finance Initiative; and for high performing local authorities Arms Length Management Organisations. Authorities can use different options from this list for different parts of their stock, as part of an overarching strategy. This has been made possible through the removal of some of the barriers that prevented some authorities from using stock transfer. These options should enable Preston to respond to its backlog.

Standards Board

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many complaints have been made to the Standards Board about members of (a) parish, town and community councils and (b) other councils in each year since its inception; of those how many have (i) been upheld, (ii) been partially upheld, (iii) been rejected or withdrawn and (iv) remain undetermined; and if he will make a statement on the nature of the complaints upheld and the disciplinary measures imposed.

Christopher Leslie: The number of allegations of councillor misconduct received by the Standards Board for England between November 2001 (when new codes of conduct were first adopted) and 31 March 2002, and between 1 April 2002 and 31 December 2002 (the latest date for which full figures are available) are set out in Table A.
	
		Table A
		
			  November 2001 to March 2002 April 2002 to December 2002 
		
		
			 Parish and town councils(39) 24 1,093 
			 Other councils 34 927 
		
	
	(39) The Standards Board for England cannot consider allegations relating to members of community councils, which are Welsh local authorities.
	The decisions taken on the 2,078 allegations listed above are set out in Table B.
	
		Table B
		
			  
		
		
			 Cases which the Standards Board decided should not be investigated 1,198 
			 Cases awaiting a decision by the Standards Board 172 
			 Cases under investigation 510 
			 Cases where the investigating Ethical Standards Officer reported that there was no evidence of a breach of the code 60 
			 Cases where the investigating Ethical Standards Officer reported that no action need be taken 102 
			 Cases where the investigating Ethical Standards officer reported that the matter should be referred to the President of the Adjudication Panel(40) 36 
			 Total 2,078 
		
	
	(40) On 16 January the Adjudication Panel heard the first case referred by an Ethical Standards Officer. The Panel concluded that the code had been breached, and the Councillor concerned was suspended for one year from being a member of his authority.

PRIME MINISTER

Al-Qaeda

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the countries where Al-Qaeda and associated terrorist organisations are known to (a) maintain bases, (b) conduct training, (c) recruit personnel and (d) receive financial support; and what requests the Government has made to governments of such countries to prevent these activities.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Inverness, West (Mr. Kennedy) in the House on 5 February, 2003, Official Report, column 26566.

E-mail Addresses

Tim Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister by what e-mail address members of the public may contact him; when it became active; and the number of e-mails received in each month since activation.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Guildford (Ms Doughty) on 6 November 2002, Official Report, column 399W.

Euro

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to enhance popular support for the euro prior to the assessment of the five economic tests set out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him in the House on 5 February, Official Report, columns 26465.

Iraq

Peter Pike: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list each action taken by (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the UN over the last 12 years to secure the disarmament of Iraq in accord with the ceasefire in 1991.

Tony Blair: The United Kingdom has supported all the UN Security Council Resolutions relating to Iraqi disarmament obligations. We were one of the principal architects of UNSCR 1284 which established UNMOVIC as the successor organisation to UNSCOM in 1999, and of UNSCR 1441 last December.
	Reports of UNSCOM, UNMOVIC and IAEA activities in pursuit of their mandates to ensure Iraqi disarmament can be found on their respective websites www.un.org/depts/unmovic and www.iaea.org/worldatom.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the basis is for the figure of 20,000 Iraqi intelligence officers as cited in the dossier he published on Iraq on 3 February;
	(2)  what the basis is for the assertion in the dossier on Iraq he published on 3 February that all the hotels and offices used by UNMOVIC and IAEA have had surveillance equipment installed by Iraq.

Tony Blair: It is a Government document basedas stated on its front coveron a number of sources, including intelligence material. The first and third sections of the document, which gave rise to most of the media coverage on publication, are based largely on intelligence material. The first section describes the extreme lengths to which Saddam has gone to hide his weapons and obstruct the inspectors. The third section of the document describes the impact of the regime on the Iraqi people. The second section describes how the regime is structured. Some of that is based on work by Dr. Ibrahim al-Marashi which, as my office have already made clear, in retrospect, we should have acknowledged.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what the basis is for the assertion in his dossier on Iraq published on 3 February that Iraq's Government has sought out personal information on UNMOVIC personnel in order to exploit any weaknesses.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the terrorist groups he believes to have links with the Iraqi Government.

Tony Blair: Iraq has a long record of support for terrorism; this includes support for radical Islamic groups such as the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, Palestinian terrorist groups (e.g. Abu Nidal), the activities of the MeK against Iran, payments to the families of suicide bombers as well as the assassination of political opponents in Iraq and abroad. Saddam Hussein tried to assassinate President Bush and the Emir of Kuwait in 1993.
	For links with al-Qaeda, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Inverness West (Mr. Kennedy) in the House on 5 February 2003, Official Report, columns 26566.

Israel (Defence Exports)

Roger Berry: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Israeli Labour leader regarding the liberalisation of defence exports to Israel.

Tony Blair: I met Amram Mitzna on 9 January and our discussions were on the middle east peace process. The issue of defence exports was raised and I made clear that there is no arms embargo on Israel. We continue to support Israel's right to defend itself, within international law, and to buy arms from British suppliers for this in accordance with the consolidated European Union and national arms export licensing criteria.

Lord Birt

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister on what policy areas Lord Birt is working.

Tony Blair: Lord Birt was appointed in October 2001 as my unpaid strategy adviser. The nature of Lord Birt's work is to provide me and other Cabinet Ministers with long-term internal strategic analysis and policy thinking.

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Prime Minister how many times since 2001 he has taken flights within his official duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied him on each trip.

Tony Blair: I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.
	My office keeps records of my home and overseas travel. Since January 2001, I have been on 85 RAF flights, including six by RAF helicopter. I have made three flights by chartered helicopter. A judgment is always made about what is the most appropriate form of travel in the time available. In line with normal practice appropriate officials and security personnel accompanied me.

Ministers

David Laws: To ask the Prime Minister how many Government (a) Secretaries of State, (b) other Ministers, (c) Parliamentary Private Secretaries and (d) Whips have been in place in each year from 198081 to 200102; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The numbers of Government Ministers and Whips are limited by the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 and the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975.
	The numbers of Ministers for the years requested are set out in publications such as Dod's Parliamentary Companion and British Political Facts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
	Parliamentary Private Secretaries are not Ministers. The normal rules on their appointment are one each per Cabinet Minister and Minister of State.

HEALTH

Learning Disability

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the NHS budget has been spent on learning disability in each year since 1979.

Jacqui Smith: Our White Paper, Valuing People, A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century, published in March 2001, encourages better integration of health and social care services for people with learning disabilities. To gain a full picture of expenditure on this group it is necessary to look at trends in both areas. Their combined spending on learning disability in 20002001 was 3.3 billion.
	Valuing People also encouraged the National Health Service to treat learning disabled people in mainstream services rather than specialist services wherever appropriate. Information about NHS expenditure on learning disability is available only for specialist learning disability services. It is not collected separately on the expenditure associated with their use of primary and secondary care services. Available details of the proportion of total expenditure that went on social services and specialist NHS services for learning disabled people are shown in the table. Valuing People announced two new funds. In April 2002, we introduced the learning disability development fund (LDDF). The 22.6 million LDDF revenue comes from that element of the old long-stay adjustment within general health allocations, which is released as former long-stay patients die. This is being targeted on the priorities set out in Valuing People, including modernising day services, completing the re-provision of the remaining long stay hospitals and enhancing leadership in learning disability services. LDDF revenue is also being used to fund the Valuing People support team. LDDF capital, of 16.7 million in 200203, is supporting the development of integrated health and social services facilities for children and young people with severe disabilities and complex needs, specialist services for people with severe challenging behaviour and supported living approaches for people living with older carers.
	The 2.3 million implementation support fund was introduced for three years from April 2001 and is focussing on advocacy, a national learning disability information centre and helpline, in partnership with Mencap and a number of development projects.
	
		
			 Financial year Percentage of total NHS expenditure on specialist learning disability services Percentage of total social services expenditure on learning disability services 
		
		
			 197879 3.6 (41) 
			 197980 3.7 (41) 
			 198081 3.6 (41) 
			 198182 3.6 (41) 
			 198283 3.6 (41) 
			 198384 3.5 (41)7.0 
			 198485 3.4 7.3 
			 198586 3.4 7.5 
			 198687 3.2 7.6 
			 198788 3.2 8.0 
			 198889 3.5 8.3 
			 198990 3.5 8.8 
			 199091 3.3 9.3 
			 199192 3.7 9.9 
			 199293 3.8 10.2 
			 199394 3.9 10.3 
			 199495 3.7 (42)12.8 
			 199596 3.6 12.9 
			 199697 3.7 13.0 
			 199798 3.7 13.3 
			 199899 3.6 13.8 
			 19992000 3.5 13.6 
			 200001 3.4 13.6 
			 200102 3.2 13.6 
			 200102 3.2 (43) 
		
	
	Notes
	(41) Figures for social care expenditure on learning disability are unavailable for the years 197879 to 198283.
	(42) The proportion of social care expenditure spent on the learning disabled changed significantly from 199495 mainly because the basis of data collection changed from that year. The revised data collection more accurately reflected CIPFA accounting conventions. Figures for expenditure on the learning disabled from 199495 include fieldwork, senior management and purchasing costs and management and support costs.

Alzheimer's Disease

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's in each year since 1992.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not routinely collect such information.

Area Child Protection Committees

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list ACPCs which have representatives from Youth Offending Teams sitting on them.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not held centrally.
	In accordance with Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999), the Government's child protection guidance, the area child protection committee (ACPC) should make appropriate arrangements to involve youth offending teams in its work as needed.

Audiology Treatment

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the Government's response to the Audit Commission proposals that audiology waiting times should be collected and targeted.

John Hutton: holding answer 6 February 2003
	The Department collects data on waits for first outpatient appointments and inpatient admissions. This provides a broad overview of waiting times for a range of services provided by consultants. These services cover consultation, diagnosis and treatment and the information has proven itself to be valuable for managing the national health service.
	By reducing maximum waits for outpatient and inpatient treatment, we will drive down waiting times across the board.
	We are in the process of modernising the hearing aid service and demand for hearing aids tends to rise as soon as sites are modernised and digital hearing aids are available free on the NHS. The modernisation project team at the Royal National Institute for the Deaf and the Modernisation Agency are working with sites to help them reduce waiting times and we are currently testing ways of boosting NHS capacity by involving private sector partners.

Carers (Leeds)

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) carers and (b) young carers of school age there are in (i) the Leeds, West constituency and (ii) the city of Leeds; what support is given to (A) carers and (B) young carers of school age; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The information on numbers of carers is not held centrally.
	Carers are entitled to an assessment to determine their needs as carers and eligibility for support. The carers grant, worth 100 million next year, provides money for local councils to provide short breaks for carers to enable them to continue in their caring role. Following my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's announcement in July 2002, the grant will continue until 2006, during which time it will more than double to 185 million to provide extended care and 130,000 further breaks to carers.
	Additionally for young carers, we are supporting the development of over 100 projects across the country to give carers of school age access to appropriate advice, information and support or leisure.

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance based on the conclusions of the Victoria Climbi inquiry has been issued to social services departments about the criteria which must be satisfied before a case involving a vulnerable child is closed.

Jacqui Smith: No guidance has yet been issued based on the conclusions of the Victoria Climbi inquiry. We have announced that we will be issuing new guidance, to reach all professional staff dealing with the safeguarding of children, within three months of 28 January 2003, the date of publication of the inquiry's report.

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what formal links operate between multi-agency public protection panels and area child protection committees.

Jacqui Smith: No formal links between multi-agency public protection panels (MAPPPs) and area child protection committees (ACPCs) currently exist.
	The Joint Chief Inspectors' report, Safeguarding Children, published on 14 October 2002, contains a recommendation that the Home Office should ensure that the relationship between MAPPPs and ACPCs is clarified.
	The Government have welcomed the publication of this report and will respond in full to its recommendations in the spring.

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce child safeguards plans modelled on youth offending teams.

Jacqui Smith: On 30 October 2002, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing a Green Paper on Children at Risk. We are examining a range of options, including those relating to child protection and youth offending, as part of the work on the Green Paper.

Children Act

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the range of agencies included in sections 27 and 47 of the Children Act 1989.

Jacqui Smith: On 30 October 2002, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing a Green Paper on Children at Risk. We are examining a range of options relating to possible reforms of child protection, and its related legislation, as part of the work to develop the Green Paper.

Children in Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place for social services departments responsible for looked after children to alert other agencies by electronic means about children who go missing from their usual place of residence.

Jacqui Smith: Children Missing from Care and Homea guide to good practice, was issued to every English local authority in November 2002, under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, which means that, expect in exceptional circumstances, councils must follow its advice.
	The guidance requires that, where a child in care is assessed to be missing, the authority responsible for their care must ensure that all is being done to locate them and return them to a place of safety. In order to do this the authority will have to inform the police and other relevant agencies and should also usually inform the child's parents. In individual cases, local authorities will be responsible for deciding on the most effective method for alerting the police and other agencies.

Commission for Patient andPublic Involvement in Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 670W, on the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, how many days per month the (a) chairman, (b) chief executive and (c) each commission are contracted to work in their duties for the new Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

David Lammy: The Chair of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health is appointed to work around 1012 days a month. Commissioners have a time commitment of around 2.5 days a month. The Chief Executive is contracted on a full-time basis.

Coronary Heart Disease

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many cardiac interventionists his Department plans to recruit from abroad;
	(2)  how many cardiac interventionists his Department has recruited from abroad.

John Hutton: holding answer 4 February 2003
	The international recruitment of doctors makes an important contribution to the expansion of the medical workforce required by the NHS Plan.
	As a result of the International Recruitment campaign, two cardiologists have been recruited by the national health service.
	The number of cardiac interventionists who will be recruited through this campaign is dependent upon the number of trusts that wish to fill vacant posts.

Day Care Services

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to regulate day care services for adults.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 7 February 2003
	During the passage of the Care Standards Act 2000 we undertook to review, a year after the creation of the National Care Standards Commission, the possibilities for introducing regulation of day services which provide personal or nursing care. We are currently considering how to conduct the review and will publish our conclusions later in the year.

Drugs Bill

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total drugs bill was for the (a) hospital and community health service and (b) family health service for the most recent year for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Total drug expenditure, England 200102
		
			  Outturn ( million) Growth (percentage) 
		
		
			  
			 Family Health Service Drug Expenditure 5,707 10.7 
			
			 Hospital Community and Health ServicesDrug Expenditure 1,723 12.6 
			
			 Total Drug Expenditure 7,430 11.1

External Consultancy

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body spent on external consultancy in each year from 199596 to 200203 (planned); and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Expenditure by the Department, each agency and non-departmental public body (NBPB) on external consultancy each year from 199596 to 200203, is shown in the table.
	
		million
		
			  Financial year 
			  199596 199697 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203  
		
		
			 Department 19.363 14.699 12.694 7.332 8.132 6.531 6.800 (43)2.943 
			  
			 Agencies 
			 MDA 0.077 0.054 0.149 0.075 0.182 0.151 0.088 (44)0.130 
			 MCA 0.154 0.229 0.330 0.515 0.001 0.411 0.449 (44)0.204 
			 NHS Estates 1.692 1.149 1.025 0.926 1.705 3.064 4.339 (44)4.588 
			 NHS PA (45) (45) 0.008 0.022 0.003 0.47 0.007 (44)0.005 
			 NHS PASA (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 0.865 1.127 (44)0.581 
			  
			 Exec NDPBs 
			 CHI (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 0.969 0.976 (44)0.631 
			 GSCC (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 0.035 (44)1.513 
			 HFEA 0.028 0.072 0.005 0.019 0.033 0.005 0.451 (44)0.565 
			 NCSC (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 0.631 (44)0.905 
			 NRPB 0.025 0.025 0.025 0.025 0.025 0.025 0.025 (44)0.050 
			 NBSB 0.059 0.061 0.063 0.074 0.404 0.562 0.305 (44)0.202 
			 PHLSB 0.076 0.684 0.555 0.843 0.856 0.911 0.495 (44)0.440 
		
	
	(43) Spend to December 2002
	(44) Planned spend
	(45) Organisation not established
	Notes
	MDAMedical Devices Agency
	MCAMedicines Control Agency
	NHS EstatesEstates Agency
	NHS PAPensions Agency
	NHS PASAPurchasing  Supply Agency
	CHICommission for Health Improvement
	GSCCGeneral Social Care Council
	HFEAHuman Fertilisation  Embryology Authority
	NCSCNational Care Standards Commission
	NRPBNational Radiological Protection Board
	NBSBNational Biological Standards Board
	PHLSBPublic Health Laboratory Service Board
	Figures have only been provided for Executive NDPBs as advisory NDPBs are non spending bodies and therefore do not hold budgets.

Food Standards Agency

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of annual public opinion polls conducted by the Food Standards Agency on its effectiveness in gaining public trust; what plans he has to commission an independent appraisal from (a) the National Audit Office and (b) other bodies; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissions an annual survey of public attitudes to food safety and standards issues that also examines levels of consumer confidence in the FSA. The surveys were undertaken by an independent research company, following a competitive tendering exercise carried out under Government procurement guidelines. The first Consumer Attitudes Survey was conducted during the first year of the FSA's establishment and was published in February 2001. The second survey was published in February 2002 and the third will be published shortly. Copies of the surveys are available on the FSA's website at www.food.gov.uk or on request from the FSA.
	Therefore I see no reason to commission an independent study to measure levels of public trust in the FSA. It is a matter for the Comptroller and Auditor General, as head of the National Audit Office, to determine which subjects to review and whether or not to report to Parliament on them. I understand the NAO currently has an examination of service delivery under way, one part of which is reviewing aspects of the performance achieved by the FSA. The Comptroller and Auditor General will report to Parliament on this in due course.

Free Eye Tests

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free eye tests were given to (a) pensioners and (b) other people in (i) West Sussex and (ii) England in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: The table shows the number of national health service sight tests paid for in West Sussex Health Authority for 199798 to 200102. Figures for the number of sight tests by age are not collected centrally. The nearest eligibility category for pensioners is those aged 60 and over.
	Eligibility to NHS sight tests was extended to those aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. There was an increase of 2.4 million sight tests between 199899 and 19992000. It is fair to assume that the vast majority of this increase was due to newly eligible people aged 60 or over obtaining NHS sight tests.
	
		General ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid for in West Sussex Health Authority and England for the year 199798 to 200102 -- Thousand
		
			 Year Sight tests for those aged under 60 Sight tests for those aged 60 and over Total number of sight tests  
		
		
			 West Sussex   
			 199798   95.4 
			 199899   97.3 
			 19992000 75.6 73.7 149.3 
			 200001 77.0 77.4 154.4 
			 200102 68.1 84.2 152.3 
			 
			 England
			 199798   6,991.3 
			 199899   6,992.3 
			 19992000 6,038.0 3,301.4 9,399.4 
			 200001 5,813.8 3,753.3 9,567.1 
			 200102 5,794.4 4,013.0 9,807.4

GPs

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner vacancies there are in the Forest of Dean constituency.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 7 February 2003
	The information requested is not available centrally. Statistics on general practitioner vacancies were collected by health authority area. For the twelve months between 1 March 2001 and 28 February 2002, the number of GP vacancies within the former Gloucestershire health authority area was 28.

Health Centre (Rossendale)

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the LIFT funding for a new health centre in Stacksteads, Rossendale is (a) time limited and (b) dependent on the site chosen for the project; and who is responsible for imposing such conditions.

Jacqui Smith: The central funding provided by the Department to support the East Lancashire local investment finance trust (LIFT) is being made available during the financial years 200203 and 200304.
	Prioritised LIFT schemes for the East Lancashire LIFT were published in their strategic service development plan in August 2002, all of which have been agreed by local stakeholders.

Herbal Medicines

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adverse reactions to (a) herbal medicines and (b) vitamins and minerals there have been in each year since October 1996.

Hazel Blears: The Yellow Card Scheme provides for voluntary reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions by general practitioners, hospital doctors, dentists, coroners, pharmacists and nurses. As the scheme is voluntary, not all adverse reactions are reported. The Yellow Card Scheme was extended to include unlicensed herbal remedies in October 1996.
	The table provides a breakdown of the number of reports of suspected adverse reactions received through the Yellow Card Scheme in association with products containing herbal ingredients or vitamin and minerals.
	
		
			  Number of reports of suspected adverse reactions 
			 Received year Herbals Vitamins and minerals 
		
		
			 1996 36 106 
			 1997 46 106 
			 1998 40 129 
			 1999 64 159 
			 2000 139 129 
			 2001 74 90 
			 2002 63 47 
		
	
	It is important to remember that a report of a suspected adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that the herbal product, vitamin or mineral caused it.
	Herbal medicines and vitamin and mineral products are often supplied without prescription, and are often taken without advice from doctors or pharmacists. It is generally recognised that the reporting rate for medicines supplied over the counter (OTC) is lower than that of suspected adverse reactions associated with prescription medicines. To encourage reporting of suspected adverse reactions with OTC medicines, the Yellow Card Scheme was recently extended to include nurses as reporters, and will be extended to include patient reporting via NHS Direct in the near future.

HFEA

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he will take to prevent a conflict of interest arising from membership of the HFEA Committee by holders of a licence issued by the Human Fertilization Embryology Authority; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has strict protocols on this matter and requires members to declare conflicts of interest at any meetings and on any issues being discussed by the Authority. HFEA members' interests are listed in the HFEA annual reports.

Hospital Discharge

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when his Department plans to issue the hospital discharge workbook in (a) hard copy and (b) electronic form;
	(2)  what the total cost of revising the hospital discharge workbook was; and what the reasons for the delay in revising the document were;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the dangers of discharging older people from hospital on a Friday.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 5 February 2003
	Discharge from Hospital: Pathway, Process and Practice, was published on 27 January 2003 on the Department's website. Hard copies are available, free of charge, on request. The total production cost of revising the workbook was 94,658. We waited for organisational change in the national health service to be completed to ensure that the revision would remain relevant. The revision was commissioned in summer 2002 and completed in six months.
	The workbook emphasises the importance of ensuring that all the necessary support services for effective hospital discharge are in place for patients, irrespective of the day on which their discharge from hospital occurs.

In-patient Beds (Inner London)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the demand was for in-patient beds in inner London hospitals in each year since 1990.

John Hutton: This information is not held centrally. Information on the average daily number of beds for each national health service trust and with summaries for England and NHS regions from 1996 is available from the Department of Health website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/

Interferon

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the drug pegylated interferon is recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence for statutory funding by primary care trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Department and the Welsh Assembly Government asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to appraise the clinical and cost effectiveness of pegylated interferon alpha 2a and alpha 2b for hepatitis C as part of its '7th Wave' work programme. A first draft of the guidance, the appraisal consultation document, will be issued for consultation to the registered stakeholders in the summer, and the guidance is due to be issued in November 2003.

IT Projects

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the full results of the Gateway Review process into (a) proposed upgrades of the NHSnet, (b) reprocurement of the NHSnet, (c) a national scheme for electronic bookings, (d) replacement of the Nation-wide Clearing Service (NWCS) and (e) a national scheme for electronic patient records; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: New and large-scale procurement projects in central Government are subject to Gateway Reviews. The process examines a project at critical stages to provide assurance that it can progress successfully to the next stage. The Review provides project teams with advice and guidance from fellow practitioners and in order to maintain the integrity of the advice, this is held to be completely confidential by both parties. The Gateway Review process is not an audit.
	Recommendations are made to the senior responsible officer, in this case Sir John Pattison, on good practice in key areas such as programme management, risk management and involving key stakeholders. The national programme is taking their key recommendations on board as appropriate to help prepare for implementation and the next stage in the Gateway Review.
	The upgrade to NHSnet capacity has been approved by Her Majesty's Treasury and is not subject to the Gateway Review process.

IT Projects

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the Regional Information Systems Plan at the Wessex Regional Health Authority with regard to current national NHS IT projects; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: A number of lessons have been learnt about the effective procurement of information systems for the health services. These have been taken into account in national guidance and procurement procedures.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department collates concerning the time taken for manic depression to be diagnosed from initial consultation to final diagnosis.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS Treatment Abroad

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was to the NHS (a) in total and (b) per patient of the 234 patients treated for joint replacement and cataract operations in Germany and France under the Government pilot.

John Hutton: The original overseas treatment pilot project undertaken by the Government treated a total of 190 patients of which 109 were treated in France and the remaining 81 in Germany.
	The total cost of treatment within the project was 1.1 million.

NHS Trusts

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the forecast financial surplus or deficit for 200203 for each trust within the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area.

Hazel Blears: The audited information in respect of the financial performance of national health service trusts in the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area for 200203 will be published in their annual accounts. The audited information will be available centrally in autumn 2003.

NHS Trusts

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the projected overspend for each NHS trust in this financial year.

John Hutton: The audited information in respect of the 200203 financial performance of all national health service trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts. The audited information will be available centrally in autumn 2003. We have no plans to publish unaudited information.

Patients Forums

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 686W, when he expects the first patient forum to be established; and what the timetable is for the establishment of patient forums across the country.

David Lammy: The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health is responsible for recruiting members, appointing staff and putting in place the infrastructure for patients' forums. This process will be well under way by the time community health councils are abolished in September and the Commission will be working towards the achievement of full coverage of forums by the end of the year.

Primary Care Trusts

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) primary care trust allocations are for (i) 200304, (ii) 200405 and (iii) 200506 and (b) notional primary care trust allocations will be for those years on the assumption that the allocations formula for 200203 was still used, for (A) each primary care trust within the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area and (B) the Thames Valley as a whole.

Hazel Blears: Central information regarding allocations is held on primary care trust (PCT) basis. PCT revenue allocations for 200304, 200405 and 200506 in the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area are shown in the table.
	Information on what PCT allocations would have been using the formula for 200203 is not available. Having introduced changes to the weighted capitation formula, following a wide ranging review, there was no operational reason to produce notional allocations based on an old formula.
	
		Thousand
		
			  200304 200405 200506 
		
		
			 Bracknell Forest 76,897 83,840 91,268 
			 Cherwell Vale 91,592 100,434 109,922 
			 Chiltern and South Bucks 117,675 128,126 139,308 
			 Milton Keynes 167,638 183,498 200,679 
			 Newbury and Community 74,039 81,251 89,016 
			 North East Oxfordshire 50,193 54,983 60,151 
			 Oxford City 142,974 155,681 169,243 
			 Reading 160,450 175,771 192,392 
			 Slough 98,923 108,728 119,200 
			 South East Oxfordshire 57,710 63,163 69,075 
			 South West Oxfordshire 139,950 152,859 166,890 
			 Vale of Aylesbury 143,593 157,179 171,899 
			 Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead 129,700 141,407 153,916 
			 Wokingham 100,104 109,406 119,512 
			 Wycombe 107,852 117,956 128,925 
			 Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority total 1,659,291 1,814,281 1,981,395

Salt

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to reduce the level of salt in the diet;
	(2)  if he will introduce a programme informing the British public of the dangers of excessive consumption of salt.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 7 February 2003
	The NHS Plan committed action by 2004 to initiatives to work with the food industryincluding manufacturers and caterersto improve the overall balance of diet including salt, fat and sugar in food, working with the Food Standards Agency. 75 per cent. of salt in the diet is from processed foods. The Department and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have been in discussions with industry to gradually reduce the level of salt in manufactured foods, where it is present beyond technical, safety and palatability needs. Sectors of industry have taken some action during the last few years to reduce the salt content of the food they sell. Scope for further reductions have been identified and the Department and the FSA are working with key industry bodies to progress action.
	The Department and the FSA also plan to hold a meeting with wider stakeholders later this year to raise the profile of the issue and highlight the role of all stakeholders in addressing dietary salt intakesincluding health, manufacturers, retailers, caterers and voluntary organisations. The stakeholders meeting will be held following publication of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition Sub-group report on salt and health.
	Following the publication of this report, the Department and the FSA also plan to more widely publicise the impact of salt and health to consumers and the action they can take to reduce their intakes. At present, the issue of salt reduction is covered in FSA leaflets and on it's website. It is also highlighted on the NHS Direct website.
	The five a day communications programme highlights that, although the fruit and vegetables in processed food count towards the five a day target, processed foods high in salt, fat or added sugars should only be eaten in moderation and that it is important to always read the label.

Special Advisers and Press Officers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers have been employed by his Department in each year from 199495 to 200203; and at what cost in each year.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 31 January 2003, Official Report, column 1056W, regarding special advisers across all Departments.
	The table shows information on the number of press officers in the Department.
	
		
		
			  Numbers Cost 
		
		
			 199495 12 (46) 
			 199596 9 (46) 
			 199697 15 (46) 
			 199798 16 (47)1,062 
			 199899 18 (47)1,122 
			 19992000 21 (47)1,253 
			 200001 22 (47)1,233 
			 200102 22 (47)1,279 
			 200203 (48) (48) 
		
	
	(46) The Department's staffing cost information for Press and Publicity Division for 199497 does not separately identify the cost of the press office or individual press officers. This level of detail has only been available since 199798.
	(47) A direct comparison between the number of press officers and cost, cannot be made. The budget for the Department's media centre includes support staff and other administrative costs as well as press officers.
	(48) For the financial year 200203 the final figures are not yet available.
	Note
	The increased costs reflect increased/new activity.

St. George's Hospital

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges from St. George's Hospital, Tooting, there were in 2002.

John Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Department.

Surgical Instruments (Sterilisation)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the policy to establish automated decontamination services for sterilising surgical instruments in NHS hospitals;
	(2)  how many NHS hospitals in England operate automated decontamination services for sterilising surgical instruments.

John Hutton: holding answer 5 February 2003
	There are 182 national health service trusts in England, covering 240 central sterile departments. All these departments carry out decontamination using automated processes. Some instruments are not compatible with automated processes, however and therefore require to be cleaned manually. NHS Estates has issued guidance on how this should be done.

Waiting Times (Hull and East Riding)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people are waiting for examinations for (a) cancer and (b) heart defects in Hull and the East Riding; and what the waiting times were in the past 12 months;
	(2)  what the average waiting times and the number of people waiting were for referral to (a) cancer and (b) heart specialists in the Hull and East Riding in the last 12 months.

Jacqui Smith: Speciality based waiting time data for inpatients and outpatients, broken down by national health service trust, are available at www.doh.gov.uk/waitinq times.
	Cancer waiting time data are available at www.doh.gov.uk/cancerwaits.
	Source
	Department of Health website.

Waiting Times (Hull and East Riding)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients waited longer than eight weeks after being referred to a (a) cancer and (b) heart specialist by their GP in Hull and the East Riding in the past 12 months.

Jacqui Smith: One patient waited longer than eight weeks in the period January to December 2002 after being referred to a cancer specialist.
	There were 1,342 patients who waited more than eight weeks in the period January to December 2002. Currently the average wait to be seen is just over eight weeks.
	Source of Information
	Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust.

TREASURY

Bowel Cancer

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have died from bowel cancer in the UK in each of the last 10 years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tim Loughton, dated 10 February 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the number of people who have died from bowel cancer in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years. (95991)
	The most recent available mortality data are for the calendar year 2001. Figures for each year from 1992 to 2001 are given in the table below.
	
		Number of deaths from bowel cancer(49), United Kingdom, 1992 to 2001(50)
		
			 Calendar year Number of deaths 
		
		
			 1992 19,945 
			 1993 18,667 
			 1994 18,332 
			 1995 18,174 
			 1996 17,858 
			 1997 17,564 
			 1998 17,373 
			 1999 17,001 
			 2000 16,568 
			 2001 16,491 
		
	
	(49) Bowel cancer was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 152 to 154, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C17 to C21. In England and Wales, and Northern Ireland, ICD9 was used until 2000 and ICDl0 from 2001. In Scotland, ICD9 was used until 1999 and ICD10 from 2000.
	(50) Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are for deaths registered in each calendar year. Figures for England and Wales for 1992 are based on deaths registered in that calendar year and for 1993 to 2001 on deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Bowel Cancer

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the projected five year survival rates were for people diagnosed with bowel cancer in each of the last 10 years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tim Loughton, dated 10 February 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the projected five year survival rates for people diagnosed with bowel cancer in each of the last 10 years. (95992)
	The most recent ten year period for which five year survival rates are available relates to cases diagnosed in England in 1986 to 1995. No figures are available for bowel cancer as a whole. However, around 95% of bowel cancers occur in the colon and rectum. The available figures for adult patients (ages 1599 years) are given in the table below.
	
		Five year relative survival rates (%) for patients diagnosed with cancers of the colon and rectum*, England
		
			 Year of diagnosis  Men Women 
		
		
			 198690(51) Colon 39 39 
			  Rectum 37 39 
			 199395(52) Colon 44 43 
		
	
	* Cancers of the colon and rectum are coded 153 and 154, respectively, in the International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision; and CIS and C1920, respectively, in the Tenth Revision.
	(51) Coleman MP, Babb P, Damiecki P, Grosclaude P, Honjo S, Jones J, Knerer G, Pitard A, Quinn MJ, Sloggett A, De Stavola B. Cancer Survival Trends in England and Wales, 19711995: deprivation and NHS Region. Studies in Medical and Population Subjects No.61. London: The Stationery Office, 1999.
	(52) http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D4924.xls The methodology used to calculate the survival rates for patients diagnosed in 199395 is closely based on that used to analyse cancer survival trends over the period 1971 to 1990(53) . Figures for cancers of the rectum are not available.

Children at Risk

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when he proposes to produce the Children's Green Paper;
	(2)  if he will ensure that in any new identification, referral and tracking system created by the Green Paper on Children at Risk, the same assessment tool is used for all young people at complex risk, whether the risk identified is of crime, exclusion from school, mental health problems, or other risk;
	(3)  when he plans to publish the Green Paper on Children at Risk;
	(4)  what action he is taking to ensure that services for adults in difficulty consider the needs of the adult's family as well as the individual needs, through (a) the changes proposed in the Children at Risk Green Paper and (b) the National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy;
	(5)  if he will propose a statutory obligation that there be a key worker for any child at complex risk, and that the key worker (a) co-ordinate (i) a multi-professional assessment and (ii) the design of a care package and (b) ensure that the assessment and care package are (i) delivered and (ii) monitored.

Paul Boateng: The Government recognise that professionals working with adults in difficulties need to consider carefully the interests of the children involved. The National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, which is being prepared by the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit for publication this summer, is considering the impact of alcohol misuse upon families.
	The Green Paper on Children at Risk, to be published this spring, is examining the range of services available to children and young people who are at risk of educational failure, offending, victimisation and abuse, and poor health. The Green Paper will look more broadly at how families can be best supported, including considering how the adverse impact on children of parental health issues, such as substance misuse, can be minimised.

Food (VAT)

Richard Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether proposed European legislation will change the unilateral ability of the UK to maintain British exemption of food from VAT; and whether the British endorsement of the EU agreement with Malta regarding the exemption of food from VAT in Malta changes the existing arrangements between the UK and the EU on the exemption of food from VAT.

John Healey: No. The UK's right to maintain its zero rates of VAT is entirely unaffected by any proposed European legislation or by the agreement with Malta.

Independent Financial Advisers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of independent financial advisers who have recommended split capital trusts.

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services Authority tell me that information of this kind is not collected by them.

Independent Financial Advisers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the availability of professional indemnity insurance to independent financial advisers who have recommended split capital trusts.

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services Authority does not separately identify independent financial advisers who have recommended split capital investment trusts. Accordingly, we are unable to make a separate assessment of the availability of professional indemnity insurance to them.

Independent Financial Advisers

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions officials from his Department have had with the Financial Services Authority concerning the professional indemnity insurance requirements of independent financial advisers beyond June 2003.

Ruth Kelly: Treasury officials hold frequent discussions with the Financial Services Authority about a wide range of issues.

Liver Disease

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have died in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years from causes linked to liver disease; and how many of these were connected with (a) cancer and (b) alcohol damage.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tim Loughton, dated 10 February 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the number of people who have died in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years from causes linked to liver disease; and how many of these were connected with (a) cancer and (b) alcohol damage. (96174)
	The table below shows the number of deaths where the underlying cause of death was due to (a) primary liver cancer, (b) alcoholic liver disease, other forms of chronic liver disease, viral hepatitis and other diseases of the liver. The most recent available mortality data are for the calendar year 2001.
	
		Number of deaths from liver cancer, diseases of the liver and viral hepatitis(54), United Kingdom, 1992 to 2001(55)
		
			 Calendar year (a) Liver cancer (b) Alcoholic liver disease Other forms of chronic liver disease Viral hepatitis Other diseases ofthe liver 
		
		
			 1992 1,850 1,777 1,794 167 341 
			 1993 1,977 1,732 1,807 82 461 
			 1994 2,031 1,941 1,924 72 434 
			 1995 2,038 2,312 1,978 169 438 
			 1996 2,120 2,572 2,027 165 474 
			 1997 2,281 2,880 2,062 182 461 
			 1998 2,248 3,197 2,207 196 471 
			 1999 2,271 3,525 2,181 198 462 
			 2000 2,432 3,789 2,038 219 529 
			 2001 2,377 4,429 1,999 202 1,088 
		
	
	(54) The causes of death were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes for the years 1992 to 1999 for Scotland, 1992 to 2000 for England and Wales, and Northern Ireland, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes for 2000 and 2001 for Scotland, and 2001 for England and Wales, and Northern Ireland. The codes used were as follows:
	primary liver cancerICD9 155; ICD10 C22;
	alcoholic liver diseaseICD9 571.0571.3; ICD10 K70;
	other forms of chronic liver diseaseICD9 571.4571.9; ICD10 K73-K74;
	viral hepatitisICD9 070; ICD1O B15-B19;
	other diseases of the liverICD9 572573; ICD1O K71-K72, K75-K76.
	(55) Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are for deaths registered in each calendar year. Figures for England and Wales for 1992 are based on deaths registered in that calendar year and for 1993 to 2001 on deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Biodiesel Fuel

David Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding changes to the level of duty on biodiesel fuel.

John Healey: The Government have received a number of representations about the level of duty on biodiesel.

Cancer Care

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that teenagers recovering from cancer do not experience discrimination when applying for financial services and related products.

Ruth Kelly: The terms and conditions which apply to financial services products can vary from firm to firm and are a matter for the product providers.

Census Forms

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many census forms were returned before the deadline in 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 10 February 2003
	As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent question on how many census forms were returned before the deadline in 1991. (96201)
	The collection stage of the enumeration for the 1991 Census was planned to take place between 22 and 25 April 1991, extending to 29 April for certain city areas. Completed forms were checked briefly on the doorstep for omissions; further forms were issued in cases where contact had not yet been established or where there was some uncertainty about the occupation of the accommodation. Due to the large number of uncollected forms, mainly from non-contacts and in inner city areas, the collection period was extended to May in some parts of the country. Special postal arrangements were introduced in the very worst areas to allow the public to return forms direct.
	In total 20.8 million forms were processed, including over 120,000 forms which were received through the post.

Child Poverty

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the changes in the level of child poverty between 1979 and 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: When this Government came to office in 1997, one third of children were living in households with income below 60 per cent. of the national median: more than double the number in relative poverty in 1979. The increase in the number of children in low-income households between 1979 and 1997 can probably be attributed to an increase in the number of households with no-one in work, restrictions on out-of-work benefits and real increases in earnings of the employed population.

Child Tax Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what means the wives and partners of men receiving children's tax credit have been alerted to their need to claim child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: To receive their entitlement to tax credits, people need to make a claim. Couples must claim the new Child Tax Credit jointly. The Inland Revenue has written to claimants of the existing Children's Tax Credit, inviting claims for the new tax credits. A reminder was sent in the autumn to people who had not responded to the invitation, and a further reminder is being issued in February. Employees receiving Children's Tax Credit through their PAYE codes have received a special insert with their 200304 coding notices, reminding them that Children's Tax Credit is replaced in April by Child Tax Credit and encouraging those who have not yet claimed the new tax credits to do so without delay. There is also a prominent reference to the new tax credits in the uprating letter going to all seven million Child Benefit recipients in the run-up to April.
	These direct contacts are being supported by a high-profile publicity campaign on television, in the press, on radio and online.

Child Trust Fund

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 28 January, Official Report, column 746W, on the Child Trust Fund, if his Department has decided upon the set of conditions referred to; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Government are consulting stakeholders on the detailed design and implementation of the Child Trust Fund (CTF). As part of the consultation on the product specifications for the 'stakeholder' products recommended by the Sandler review, the Government are seeking views on whether explicitly to link the CTF to the other products in the Sandler suite.

Computer Misuse

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees of the Inland Revenue have been (a) subject to disciplinary action for computer misuse and (b) prosecuted for computer misuse in 2002.

Dawn Primarolo: 205 employees were subject to disciplinary action for computer misuse in 2002. None of the cases warranted prosecution; the vast majority resulting in a reprimand.
	
		
			 Disciplinary action Number 
		
		
			 Prosecution 0 
			 Dismissal 3 
			 Downgrading 1 
			 Financial penalty 2 
			 Reprimand 199 
			 Total 205

Cross-Border Pensions Directive

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions officials from his Department have had with (a) representatives of the European Union, including the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and (b) representatives of the British pensions industry concerning reform of the cross-border pensions directive.

Ruth Kelly: Treasury officials have been in regular contact with UK MEPs on the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee to discuss developments on the Supplementary Pensions Directive (Directive on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision) and to brief them on their likely impact on UK occupational pensions. Treasury officials have also been in contact with associations that represent the interests of the British pension industry to update them on the Directive's progress through the European Parliament.

Departmental Budgets

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the principal components of the changes in the budget of (a) HM Customs and Excise and (b) the Inland Revenue between 200203 and 200304; what internal administrative unit each change is attributed to; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Aggregate budget figures for 200203 to 200506 were published in the 2002 Spending Review White paper (Cm 5570) on page 126. More up to date and detailed information will appear in the Departmental Spring Reports 2003 due to be published by the revenue departments by the end of April.

Euro

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to announce a decision on whether Britain meets his Department's five tests for entry to the euro before 7 June.

Ruth Kelly: The Government have made clear that they will complete the assessment of the Five Economic Tests within two years of the start of this Parliament.

Euro

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions officials from his Department have had with officials from the European Commission on the British economy's convergence with the eurozone; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: Government officials regularly travel to Brussels to discuss EU business.
	The Government will only recommend UK membership of EMU if it is in the national economic interest and the economic case for joining is clear and unambiguous.
	A comprehensive and rigorous assessment of the Five Economic Tests will be completed within two years of the start of this Parliament.

Euro

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2003, Official Report, column 991W, on the euro, if he will make a statement on the preparedness of business for euro entry;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2003, Official Report, column 992W, on the euro, what assessment of the proportion of businesses prepared for membership of the euro he will make before June 2003.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 3 February 2003, Official Report, column 29W.

Euro

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent to which the British economy satisfies the five economic tests for entry to the euro; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk) on 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 88W.

Friendly Societies

Peter Pike: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he will take to assist friendly societies; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Government welcomes the contribution of friendly societies, in competition with other service providers, to increasing choice in savings products.
	Following the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Financial Services Authority has assumed responsibility for the regulation of friendly societies. The Act also introduced an independent ombudsman scheme and single financial services compensation scheme. These measures should increase confidence in those considering membership of friendly societies.
	Measures such as the introduction of the Saving Gateway and the Child Trust Fund are intended to encourage saving by low-income groups, which should be of benefit to friendly societies.

FTSE 100

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings between officials from his Department and representatives of the business and financial sectors are planned for the next two months to discuss the value of the FTSE 100 share index.

Ruth Kelly: Treasury Ministers and officials meet representatives of the business and financial sector on a regular basis and will continue to do so. A wide range of topics are discussed, including current economic and financial developments.

Gross Domestic Product

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the level of tax revenue in the UK this financial year if the rate of GDP grows by (a) 2 per cent., (b) 2.5 per cent. and (c) 3 per cent.;
	(2)  what estimates his Department has made of the level of tax revenue this year if the rate of growth of GDP is (a) 1.8 per cent., (b) 2 per cent., (c) 2.2 per cent., (d) 2.4 per cent., (e) 2.6 per cent., (f) 2.8 per cent., (g) 3 per cent., (h) 3.2 per cent., (i) 3.4 per cent., and (j) 3.6 per cent.;
	(3)  what estimates his Department has made of (a) total income tax revenue and (b) total corporation tax revenue for this year if the rate of growth in GDP growth is (i) 1.8 per cent., (ii) 2 per cent., (iii) 2.2 per cent., (iv) 2.4 per cent., (v) 2.6 per cent., (vi) 2.8 per cent., (vii) 3 per cent., (viii) 3.2 per cent., (ix) 3.4 per cent., and (x) 3.6 per cent.;
	(4)  what estimate his Department has made of the level of UK tax revenue for (a) this year and (b) next year if growth rates were 2.2 per cent. this year and 2.4 per cent. next year;
	(5)  what estimates he has made of total UK tax revenues for (a) this year and (b) next year if growth meets the Treasury's (i) lower and (ii) upper boundaries for growth in this year and the next.

Ruth Kelly: Latest available projections of tax revenues for 200203 and 200304 are available in the 2002 pre-Budget report. They are based on a deliberately prudent and cautious assumption that trend output growth is  percentage point lower than the Government's neutral view. This corresponds to GDP growth of 2 per cent. in 200203 and 2 per cent. in 200304, the lower boundaries of HM Treasury's economic forecasts for these financial years. Tax forecasts based on alternative forecasts of GDP growth are not available.

Home Insurance

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 14 January 2003, Official Report, column 514W, on home insurance, when the FSA will be consulting on the disclosure of fees charged by mortgage providers for switching insurance taken out as a condition of the mortgage; and if he will ask the FSA to consult additionally on whether these fees should be abolished.

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) consulted on its proposals for the disclosure of fees charged for switching insurance in its consultation paper, CP 146. There will be a further consultation on this as part of its draft rules, and this paper will issue at the end of April 2003. This will provide a further opportunity for those interested to air their concerns on the matter. It is not for the Government to direct the FSA on the content of their consultation on mortgages.

Income Tax

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people paid the top rate of income tax in each year since 199495; and what revenue was gained from this tax bracket in each case.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 30 January 2003
	The information is given in the table.
	
		
			 Tax Year Higher Rate Taxpayers(56) (000s) Higher Rate Tax Yield(56) (million) 
		
		
			 199495 2,000 27,360 
			 199596 2,130 30,370 
			 199697 2,080 33,160 
			 199798 2,120 35,170 
			 199899 2,350 41,530 
			 19992000 2,480 44,874 
			 200001 2,880 54,040 
		
	
	(56) Taxpayers with a taxable income above the higher rate threshold.
	Note:
	These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes
	While it is too early to comment on the detail of the Green Paper, the Government fully recognise the importance of information sharing among different agencies and of ensuring children and families receive coherent services based on their needs. The Green Paper is looking at the issues of key workers and single assessments, and will be informed by the work of the ten information, referral and tracking trailblazers managed by the Children and Young People's Unit.

Income Tax Evasion

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 614W, on fraudulent income tax evasion, how many prosecutions are under way; how many prosecutions have been undertaken but not completed since 1 January 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: As at 31 January 2003, 23 cases, of which 21 have been registered since 1 January 2002, are under investigation working towards prosecution using the new offence of fraudulent evasion of income tax.

Inheritance Tax

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what he estimates the percentage of estates liable to inheritance tax would be if the threshold were raised to (a) 500,000 and (b) 1 million;
	(2)  what he estimates the annual cost to the Exchequer would be of raising the inheritance tax threshold to (a) 500,000 and (b) 1 million.

Dawn Primarolo: The PBR estimate of inheritance tax yield is 2.6 billion for 200304. The full year cost of raising the inheritance tax threshold in 200304 to (a) 500,000 and (b) 1 million would be 1.6 billion and 2.3 billion respectively. The UK percentage of estates liable to inheritance tax would be about 1 per cent. and less than 0.5 per cent. respectively.

Inheritance Tax

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional annual revenue from inheritance tax as a result of abolishing the ability to make gifts free of inheritance tax after (a) one year, (b) five years and (c) 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Insufficient data is available on which to base yield estimates.

Inland Revenue Qualifying Regimes

Peter Pike: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the abolition of the Inland Revenue qualifying regimes; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Sandler review of the market for medium and long-term retail savings, which was published last July, recommended two changes to the regime for taxing life insurance products. These changes are the abolition of the qualifying policy regime and the replacement of the so-called 5 per cent. tax-deferral rule which applies to withdrawals.
	As we announced in the pre-Budget report, the Government are considering these proposals as part of the Budget process and are consulting the industry about their implications. They have received representations from the insurance industry and friendly society movement. The Association of Friendly Societies and the Association of British Insurers have been in frequent contact with Treasury and Inland Revenue officials. Their discussions include considering how the Sandler recommendation to abolish the qualifying policy regime for new life insurance policies would affect savings through qualifying policies, particularly by those on low incomes.

Large Companies Office

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the Large Companies Office of the Inland Revenue in collecting tax over the period 1997 to 2002.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's Large Business Office (LBO), formed on 1 April 1997, is responsible for dealing with the tax affairs of most of the largest companies and employers operating in the United Kingdom. It ensures such companies' tax affairs are handled by highly knowledgeable and experienced tax officials. The office explains the Inland Revenue's view of how tax law applies in particular circumstances and oversees the process by which large businesses account for the tax they are due to pay.
	As part of that process LBO staff make inquiries into companies' tax returns on the basis of an assessment of the risk to the Exchequer. This can result in large adjustments to profits returned for tax, which sometimes require litigation. The additional tax recovered as a result of such LBO action may therefore fluctuate from year to year. The annual yield has been 1998991.9 billion; 199920001.9 billion; 2000012.2 billion; and 2001021.6 billion. The office has met the overwhelming majority of its operational targets and has been highly effective, a view confirmed in the Government's 2001 Review of Links with Business and more recent taxpayer research.

Lisbon and Stockholm Objectives

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on progress towards the Lisbon and Stockholm objectives of (a) speeding up liberalisation in areas such as gas, electricity and transport, (b) speeding up liberalisation in postal services, (c) concluding work on proposals to update public procurement rules, (d) ensuring that Community and Government procurement can take place online, (e) setting out a strategy for further co-ordinated action to simplify the regulatory environment, (f) implementing the financial services action plan, (g) ensuring full implementation of the Risk Capital Action Plan, (h) making progress on proposals on takeover bids and (i) concluding the pending tax package on efficient and implemented markets;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on progess towards the Lisbon and Stockholm objectives on (a) developing priority actions addressed to specific target groups within member states choosing amongst those actions according to their particular situations and reporting subsequently on their implementation, (b) producing a detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems, (c) achieving interim transposition target of 98.5 per cent., (d) presenting a proposal to tackle the barriers identifed in the internal market for services, (e) presenting a strategy for regulatory simplification and quality before the end of 2001, (f) implementing the Financial Services Action Plan, (g) integrating securities market, (h) implementing the Risk Capital Plan and achieving a well-functioning capital market, (i) demonstrating a downward trend in state aid in relation to GDP and (j) agreeing on the tax package as a whole;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on progress towards the Lisbon and Stockholm objectives on (a) defining common approaches to maintaining and improving the quality of work, (b) updating existing legislation on implementing the principle of equal treatment of men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion and working conditions, (c) agreement on a regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy and broadband networks, (d) adopting in co-decision with the European Parliament on the sixth Community Research Framework Programme, (e) examining a specific strategy for mobility within the European Research Area, (f) presenting proposals to promote a more interactive dialogue with the public on issues of science and technology, (g) examining measures required to utilise the full potential of biotechnology, (h) reviewing progress in integrating the sustainable development aims into the Lisbon strategy, (i) evaluating the Luxembourg process and (j) facilitating a successful outcome of COP-6;
	(4)  if he will make a statement on progess towards the Lisbon and Stockholm objectives on (a) alleviating the tax pressure on labour and improving the employment and training incentives of tax and benefits systems, (b) redirecting public expenditure towards increasing the relative importance of capital accumulating and supporting research and development, innovation and information technologies, (c) ensuring the long-term sustainability of public finances, (d) facilitating a substantial annual increase in per capital investment in human resources, (e) cutting the number of 18 to 24-year-olds with only lower-secondary level education, (f) developing schools and training centres into multi-purpose local learning centres, (g) creating a European framework to define the basic skills to be provided through lifelong learning, (h) establishing a European diploma for basic IT skills, (i) taking steps to remove obstacles to teachers' mobility, (j) developing a common European format for curricula vitae, (k) giving priority lifelong learning, (l) increasing employment services, (m) furthering all aspects of equal opportunities and making it easier to reconcile working and family life, (n) setting a new benchmark for improved child care provision, (o) raising the total EU employment rate to 70 per cent. and (p) increasing the number of women in employment to 60 per cent.;
	(5)  if he will make a statement on progress towards Lisbon and Stockholm objectives on (a) ensuring all schools have access to the internet, (b) all the teachers needed are skilled in the use of computers, (c) mapping of research and development excellence in all member states, (d) improving the environment for private research investment, RD partnerships and high technology start-ups, (e) taking steps to remove obstacles to the mobility of researchers in Europe and attracting and retaining high-quality researchers in Europe and (f) ensuring a Community patent is available.

Ruth Kelly: As stated in the 2002 pre-Budget report, the Government will publish a progress report in early 2003 on developments in European economic reform since the February 2002 White Paper Realising Europe's Potential.

Listing Rules

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions officials from his Department have had with representatives of (a) the business community and (b) the Financial Services Authority concerning reforms of listing rules.

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is responsible for setting the listing rules (under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000). The FSA are
	currently conducting a review of the listings rules and consulting widely with the business community. Officials from the Treasury regularly talk to the FSA and business about issues relating to the Rules, including in the context of the review.

Moray Floods (Tax Deferral)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce tax deferral for businesses in Moray affected by flooding; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 3 February 2003
	Tax deferral measures were introduced in 2001 specifically to help viable businesses and individuals adversely affected by the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
	There are no plans to introduce similar or specific measures for businesses in Moray that have been affected by flooding. However, the Revenue will provide help and support to viable businesses affected by flooding within the limits of its discretion.

National Insurance

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what spending plans he has for the 18 billion from the surpluses of the National Insurance Fund.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 7 March 2002, Official Report, column 468W.

National Insurance/Income Tax

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to align further the income tax and national insurance systems; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no plans for the structural alignment of Tax and National Insurance. The Revenue, however, continues to work with employer representatives and others to look for opportunities to align the tax and National Insurance rules at a practical level while having regard to the need to protect the individuals' benefit entitlement.

National Insurance/Income Tax

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to equalise the upper earnings limit of national insurance contributions with the higher rate threshold of income tax; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government has no such plans.

Non-compliance Investigations

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many non-compliance investigations have been carried out by the large business division of the Inland Revenue in each year since 199091; what the average amount of extra tax secured for such non-compliance operations was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The available information about the Inland Revenue's work tackling non-compliance is set out each year in the Inland Revenue Annual Report, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

Official Meetings

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings officials from his Department have had with representatives of the business and financial sectors over the last two months; and if he will make a statement on concerns raised at these meetings regarding the level of the FTSE 100 share index.

Ruth Kelly: Officials regularly meet representatives from business and the financial sector and discuss a range of issues.

Pensions Tax Relief

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax relief on pensions was claimed successfully in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) gender and (b) ten-year age bands.

Ruth Kelly: Available estimates of the cost of tax relief on private pension contributions are contained in table T7.9 of Inland Revenue Statistics. The latest version is on the Inland Revenue website; http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.Uk/stats/pensions/p t09 l.htm It is not possible to break these estimates down by either gender or age.

Post-60 Employment

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what incentives he is putting in place to encourage employers to take on employees of 60 years and older; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Since 1997, this Government have consistently shown their commitment to employment opportunities for all regardless of age.
	We are vigorously promoting the benefits of recruiting, training and retaining older workers as part of our Age Positive campaign. We have already spoken to employers, employer organisations, employees and voluntary sector organisations about ways in which the message can be spread further. The Age Positive campaign is going from strength to strength, working to challenge ageist employment practices between now and the implementation of age legislation in 2006. The newest feature of the campaign is the Age Positive website (www.agepositive.gov.uk). It features guidance and good practice case studies for employers including our recent publication Good Practice in the Recruitment and Retention of Older Workers.
	For small and medium sized employers, we have developed a model programme on the business benefits of age diversity and recruitment of the over 50s. To date workshops have been delivered across England and they will be extended to Scotland and Wales from the spring.
	'Simplicity security and choice: Working and saving for retirement', published in December 2002, sets out a number of measures that will make the retention of older workers easier. These include encouraging companies to adopt a more flexible approach to retirement, and changes to Inland Revenue rules that will make it possible for older workers to continue to work for the sponsoring employer while drawing their occupational pension.
	The Government have also taken steps to improve the financial returns for older people returning to work.
	The new Working Tax Credit, which will be introduced in April, includes a return to work element for people aged 50 or over. This is paid for one year following the return to work if a qualifying benefit had been claimed for six months or more. A single person working 16 hours per week will be eligible for Working Tax Credit worth up to 49 per week in their first year following a return to work. Someone over 50 returning to work of 30 hours a week would be eligible for Working Tax Credit of up to 59 per week.

Public Service Pension Schemes

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 23 January 2003, Official Report, column 431W, on public service pension schemes, whether statutory change is required to implement proposals for raising the pension age in public service schemes; and whether such a proposal has been put to staff representatives.

Paul Boateng: The Government envisage that the higher normal pension age might be introduced in most public service schemes as part of a package of pension changes. These proposals would be subject to consultation with staff representatives and employers. Most of the main public service schemes' rules are set out in Statutory Instruments and there would be consultation with staff representatives before Instruments were laid before Parliament.

Small Business Investment

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of investment by small businesses with fewer than 50 employees was in each quarter of each year since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Mark Prisk, dated 10 February 2003
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the level of investment by small businesses with less than 50 employees in each quarter of each year since 1997. (94850)
	The level of investment by small businesses with less than 50 employees in each quarter is not available. The closest available information relates to annual data since 1998 from the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI). The table below shows Net Capital Expenditure (excluding VAT) for businesses with less than 50 employees. The estimate for 2001 is provisional.
	
		Level of net capital expenditure (excluding VAT) -- for businesses with less than 50 employees. Current prices.
		
			 Year  million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1998 18,335 
			 1999 18,551 
			 2000 19,664 
			 2001 22,165 
		
	
	Note:
	The ABI covers all businesses, excluding agriculture, hunting and forestry; fishing; mining and quarrying; electricity, gas and water; financial intermediation; public administration and defence; and parts of education and health of the Standard Industrial Classification Revised 1992 (SIC(92)

Special Advisers and Press Officers

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers have been employed by his Department in each year from 199495 to 200203; and at what cost in each year.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 31 January 2003 by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.
	The number of press officers employed by HM Treasury has remained broadly constant since 199495. There are currently seven, in addition to the Head of Communications.
	As to cost the total basic salaries for 200001 were 196,990 and for 200102 were 201,502. Figures for other years are unavailable.

Sustainable Investment

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library communications between the Treasury and the International Monetary Fund regarding the interpretation of the sustainable investment rule, following the request for clarification contained in the concluding statement of the IMF Article IV consultation, published on 9 December 2002.

Ruth Kelly: The Government have published the IMF's concluding statement. The final IMF report will be discussed at the IMF Board towards the end of February and will be published shortly afterwards.
	The sustainable investment rule has been fully described in successive Budget and PBR documents and the HM Treasury book, Reforming Britain's Economic and Financial Policy edited by E. Balls and G. O'Donnell.

Tax Compliance Work

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the yield/cost ratio for tax compliance work by the (a) International Business Tax Group and (b) Large Business Office, at the Inland Revenue in each year from 199091 to 200203; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The available information about the Inland Revenue's work tackling non-compliance is set out each year in the Inland Revenue Annual Report, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

Tax Credit Helpline

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed by the tax credit helpline; and of that number, how many are employed as claim line operators.

Dawn Primarolo: A helpline was set up in August 2002 to handle detailed inquiries about the two new tax creditsChild Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. The number of people employed at the helpline in Great Britain is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Site Advisers Team Leaders Managers/Support Staff Total 
		
		
			 Peterlee 473 43 20 536 
			 Livingston 256 24 17 297 
			 Merry Hill 270 25 17 312 
			 Dundee 483 46 23 552 
			 Liverpool 170 14 10 194 
			 Total 1,652 152 87 1,891 
		
	
	Notes
	1. All figures are for staff in post, whether they work full-time or part-time. The equivalent number of full time staff will be lower.
	2. All advisers and team leaders handle calls.
	3. Telephone advisers are available to help process claims too, and some use has been made of that flexibility

Tax Credit Helpline

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases have been dealt with by the tax credits helpline in each month since it was established.

Dawn Primarolo: A helpline was set up in August 2002 to handle detailed inquiries about the two new tax creditsChild Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. The number of calls handled by the helpline in Great Britain in each month since then is set out in the table.
	
		
			  Calls handled 
		
		
			 August 2002 28,225 
			 September 2002 177,347 
			 October 2002 320,400 
			 November 2002 374,553 
			 December 2002 264,671 
			 January 2003 633,717

Tax Credit Helpline

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many calls have been received by the tax credit helpline in each month since it was established.

Dawn Primarolo: A helpline was set up in August 2002 to handle detailed enquiries about the two new tax creditsChild Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. The number of calls received at the helpline in Great Britain in each month since then is set out in the table.
	
		
			  Calls received 
		
		
			 August 2002 28,453 
			 September 2002 179,484 
			 October 2002 324,381 
			 November 2002 394,205 
			 December 2002 267,757 
			 January 2003 673,036

Tax Credit Helpline

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which days of the week, and for how many hours on each of those days, the tax credit hotline is operational.

Dawn Primarolo: A helpline was set up in August 2002 to handle detailed enquiries about the two new tax creditsChild Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. The helpline in Great Britain is open from 8 am until 8 pm seven days a week (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Easter Sunday). The freephone response line, set up to take calls generated by the publicity for the new tax credits, is open from 7 am until 11 pm seven days a week.

Tax Credit Helpline

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the tax credits helpline has cost to operate since it was established.

Dawn Primarolo: A helpline was set up in August 2002 to handle detailed enquiries about the two new tax creditsChild Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. Since it was set up until 31 December 2002, operating costs for the helpline in Great Britain are estimated to have been as follows:
	
		 million
		
			 Operating cost for tax credits helpline 
		
		
			  
			 Pay 9.46 
			 Other costs 4.6

Tax Credit Helpline

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what specialist training is given to tax credit helpline operators on the (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Helpline operators receive training covering all aspects of eligibility for and entitlement to Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit (including the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit), as well as the mechanics of claiming and paying the new tax credits.

Tax Evasion

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Inland Revenue in tackling tax evasion and avoidance from 1999 to 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Deterring and countering tax evasion and avoidance is a major part of the Inland Revenue's work to ensure that everyone understands and pays what is due. This work ensures that everyone contributes to the UK's needs. The National Audit Office has recently concluded an investigation into the Inland Revenue's effectiveness at countering fraud and will be publishing its report in due course.

Tax Rates (Dividends)

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue on an accruals basis from increasing the basic rate of tax applicable to dividends by 1 per cent.

Dawn Primarolo: An increase of 1p in the ordinary rate of tax on dividends that was not matched by a corresponding increase in the dividend tax credit, would result in additional accruals yield of 140 million in 200304.
	This estimate is based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and is consistent with the November 2002 pre-Budget report. This excludes any behavioural response to the tax change.

Tax Returns

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many self-assessment tax returns were (a) issued, (b) received, (c) waiting to be processed and (d) processed in each month since 3 February 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The statistical data requested are set out as follows.
	
		
			 Tax year/date SA ITRs issued SA ITRs received SA ITRs processed SA ITRs waiting to be processed 
		
		
			 200001 
			 3 February 2002 9,552,433 8,362,361 5,848,319 2,514,042 
			 3 March 2002 9,610,787 8,732,139 6,892,084 1,840,055 
			 31 March 2002 9,644,313 8,805,949 8,009,457 796,492 
			  
			 200102 
			 5 May 2002 8,984,089 287,223 74,244 212,979 
			 2 June 2002 9,081,002 751,541 323,265 428,276 
			 7 July 2002 9,167,807 1,397,759 709,556 688,203 
			 4 August 2002 9,232,637 2,020,483 1,135,313 885,170 
			 1 September 2002 9,300,825 2,717,767 1,591,565 1,126,202 
			 6 October 2002 9,394,724 4,475,890 2,438,405 2,037,485 
			 3 November 2002 9,463,002 4,948,989 3,300,392 1,648,597 
			 24 November 2002 9,511,670 5,280,197 4,008,768 1,271,429 
			 1 December 2002 9,527,269 5,395,919 4,265,782 1,130,137 
			 5 January 2003 9,587,431 5,955,224 4,979,671 975,553 
			 26 January 2003 9,658,087 7,104,965 5,757,379 1,347,586

Tax Revenue

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much extra tax revenue was secured by the large business division of the Inland Revenue from its non-compliance operations in (a) 199899, (b) 19992000, (c) 200001, (d) 200102 and (e) 200203 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The total additional liability arising from work tackling non-compliance in the Large Business Office is set out each year in the Inland Revenue Annual Report, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Audited and accurate figures for 200203 are not yet available.

Tax-exempt Savings

Peter Pike: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the future of tax exempt saving products; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Sandler review of the market for medium and long-term retail savings, which was published last July, recommended two changes to the regime for taxing life insurance products. These changes are the abolition of the qualifying policy regime and the replacement of the so-called 5 per cent. tax-deferral rule which applies to withdrawals.
	As we announced in the pre-Budget report, the Government are considering these proposals as part of the Budget process and are consulting the industry about their implications. They have has received representations from the insurance industry and friendly society movement. The Association of Friendly Societies and the Association of British Insurers have been in frequent contact with Treasury and Inland Revenue officials. Their discussions include considering how the Sandler recommendation to abolish the qualifying policy regime for new life insurance policies would affect the future of tax exempt saving products.

Tax-exempt Savings

Peter Pike: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to allow tax exempt savings products a special exemption to the proposed abolition of qualifying policies; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Sandier review of the market for medium and long-term retail savings, which was published last July, recommended two changes to the regime for taxing life insurance products. These changes are the abolition of the qualifying policy regime and the replacement of the so-called 5 per cent. tax-deferral rule which applies to withdrawals.
	As we announced in the Pre-Budget Report, the Government is considering these proposals as part of the Budget process and is consulting the industry about their implications, including in relation to tax exempt savings products. We are continuing that consideration and consultation.

Working Families Tax Credit

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it will be possible for parents to claim for child care costs under the new working families tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Parents will be able to claim for eligible child care costs under the new Working Tax Credit which will be introduced in April this year.

Working Families Tax Credit

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families were (a) in receipt of and (b) eligible for working families tax credit in each local authority in Wales in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: For the numbers in receipt of working families tax credit (WFTC), I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Tyne Bridge (Mr. Clelland) on 13 January 2003, Official Report, column 412W. Estimates of the take-up rates of WFTC in 200001 in the UK are available on the Inland Revenue website. Such estimates, and estimates of the numbers eligible for WFTC, are not available below the UK level.

World Oil Prices

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the effects of a conflict with Iraq on world oil prices;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect of problems in the Venezuelan economy on world oil prices.

Ruth Kelly: Tensions in the Middle East and the export disruption from strike action in Venezuela are both currently increasing uncertainty in the oil market, thus acting to raise oil prices above the level that would be suggested by the underlying supply and demand situation.